Minnesota · Itasca County
Napoleon Lake Ice-Out Dates
The ice usually goes out of Napoleon Lake around April 26 — the fourth week of April. Earliest ever: April 24 (2026). Latest: May 9 (2022).
The 2027 season
Tracking resumes when the ice forms.
Every recorded ice-out
5 years on the books, 2018–2026. Newest first.
| Year | Ice-out date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | April 24 |
| 2022 | May 9 |
| 2020 | April 25 |
| 2019 | April 26 |
| 2018 | May 3 |
When Napoleon freezes over
Napoleon Lake usually freezes over around November 20 — the third week of November. Earliest on record: November 10 (2017–18). Latest: November 30 (2024–25).
A freeze-up crosses New Year, so each row is the winter it belongs to: the winter of 2025–26 froze on November 28. Newest first.
| Winter | Ice-in date |
|---|---|
| 2025–26 | November 28 |
| 2024–25 | November 30 |
| 2023–24 | November 25 |
| 2022–23 | November 20 |
| 2018–19 | November 11 |
| 2017–18 | November 10 |
Records: Minnesota DNR ice-in records. Last checked August 2026.
Late ice is unpredictable — no date on this page says the ice is safe.
Records: Minnesota DNR ice-out records. Last checked August 2026.