Early this week trees and shrubs along Lake Superior’s shore looked like ghostly guardians of winter. High winds and blustery snow blew through the Northland causing large heart-pounding waves to thrash and crash the shoreline. Trees, shrubs and rocks on the shore were once again covered in a shroud of ice, leaving many breath-taking ice sculptures in its aftermath. The new snow allowed Lutsen ski hill to extend its weekend ski season through May 6. Call for some great end of the year deals.
Cook County school children had a two-hour delay to start school on Monday, April 16, due to an early spring snowstorm that crossed through the region dumping up to a foot or more of snow in some places. It was the first time this winter/spring that weather caused a delay of any kind in the kids’ school schedule.
It was worse—or better—for kids attending school in Duluth and Superior. Their schools were closed for the entire day.
Wind gusts up to 35 to 40 mph created large waves to pummel and pound the shore, causing the lakefront to become entombed in ice.
Snow continued through Monday night, and Barb and Ted Young of Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B reported on Tuesday, April 17, “It ain’t over yet- Best Spring Skiing of the Year! 10 inches plus of fresh snow. Banadad east end trails: Lace Lake, Tall Pines and Banadad to Knopp Trails tracked. Skiing is excellent!”
Yeah!
While cross country skiers and even some snowmobile enthusiasts are thrilled with the new fluffy white stuff, high school baseball and softball players are losing games to snowed under fields. Kids who participate in track & field aren’t much better off. It’s hard to get outside and train in snowy, cold, icy conditions.
Meanwhile, snowplows continue to run, cleaning roads while snow shoveling and scraping ice off of frozen automobile windows is again the exercise of choice—and necessity.
A central question too is whether the lakes will be free from ice for the fishing opener. A recent report that South Fowl Lake still retained more than four feet of ice leads one to believe that ice fishing may be the only way one will be able to ply for walleyes over the opener.
But there is hope.
Sad news is coming for people who like to bundle up in heavy winter gear and trudge and trundle through snow and ice: warmer weather is on the way.
Temperatures predicted Friday, April 27 through Monday, April 30 have highs in the low 50s, but nighttime temperatures will still be below freezing. And Monday night’s forecast suggests the possibility of freezing rain with a possibility of snow. Don’t put your snow shovels away just yet. Winter just might make a May appearance.
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