An ongoing winter-like season was considered by a group of area nurses who offered their predictions of when - and some joked, if - ice out will occur on Rainy Lake. 

Nurses at the Rainy Lake Medical Center clinic campus and Littlefork Medical Center were selected by The Journal and asked, “When do you think the ice will go out on Rainy Lake?”

The ice is considered out the first day that a boat may travel from Rainy Lake's Island View to Kettle Falls unimpeded by ice. Last year, unusually warm March temperatures paved the way for the earliest date recorded on the lake, April 6. 

Ice out has been recorded annually for both Rainy and Kabetogama lakes since 1930. Depending on the type of winter, the spring temperatures and ice thickness, the ice has typically cleared from Rainy Lake in the last week of April or the first week of May. Ice out on Rainy Lake has occurred in April 25 times in the 82 years recorded.

This year, however, the group of women weren't so sure. 

Wendy Dougherty at RLMC and Lizzy Batdorf at LMC both predicted the ice would be declared out by Tuesday - the earliest date selected by the group.

"I’m going to Florida and  when I return, I’m going to bring back some sunshine," Batdorf said of her guess. 

Dougherty was hopeful the ice would be gone by her predicted date, but added, "Winter just isn't going away."

While Dougherty said she enjoys Borderland's winter season, she is ready for spring-like weather.

"I want to plant my garden, sit on the deck and be on the pontoon boat," she said. 

Avid angler Kathy Sather, at LMC, came in with the next guess of May 2 after careful consideration of existing weather conditions and ice formation on the lakes.

Not too far behind Sather's guess was RLMC nurse Laura Hilliard with May 4. 

"There is still two feet of snow on the ice," she said. "We're not getting the weather to even melt the snow."

Hilliard admitted she thought her predicted date might be too early and was hoping for a "hot spell" between now and then. 

Barb Porter at RLMC said she lives on the lake and believes the ice won't be out until May 12, one day after the Minnesota walleye fishing opener. 

"Last year at this time there was already green grass," Porter said. "It just has to be gone by May 12." 

Berri Lavern at RLMC landed on May 16 as her guess. 

"There is still two feet of ice on the lake," she said, adding Borderland was still seeing snow showers last weekend and into this week. 

Diane Otto of LMC guessed May 31 - the latest date predicted by the group.

“This is my son’s birthday and it’s going to be a long time until the ice is gone this year," she said. 

If Otto's guess is correct, it would surpass May 22, 1950 - the current latest date of ice out on record since 1930. 

The Journal doesn't have a prize if one of the selected nurses happens to be correct on their predictions, but they were reassured they could hold bragging rights for the year.

The Journal also asked its Facebook followers what their predictions were. Some responses mimicked the nurse's guesses, while others joked that there would still be ice on the lake well into the summer months. 

Whatever date is declared ice out, it appears the consensus around town is that Mother Nature needs to cut International Falls some slack. Most are ready for spring - or at least some 40-degree weather. 

Previous ice-out dates:

Rainy Lake

1930 May 3

1931 May 5

1932 May 7

1933 May 6

1934 May 6

1935 May 8

1936 May 13

1937 May 7

1938 May 3

1939 May 5

1940 May 10

1941 April 25

1942 April 25

1943 May 4

1944 May 11

1945 April 23

1946 April 22

1947 May 11

1948 May 6

1949 April 28

1950 May 22

1951 May 9

1952 May 4

1953 May 4

1954 May 14

1955 April 23

1956 May 11

1957 May 7

1958 April 22

1959 May 6

1960 May 16

1961 May 8

1962 May 7

1963 April 30

1964 May 6

1965 May 7

1966 May 15

1967 May 5

1968 May 6

1969 April 28

1970 May 9

1971 May 2

1972 May 16

1973 April 23

1974 May 11

1975 May 10

1976 April 18

1977 May 3

1978 May 10

1979 May 12

1980 May 2

1981 April 29

1982 May 7

1983 May 1

1984 April 28

1985 April 30

1986 April 23

1987 April 18

1988 May 6

1989 May 6

1990 April 29

1991 April 27

1992 May 7

1993 April 30

1994 May 8

1995 May 2

1996 May 18

1997 May 5

1998 April 13

1999 May 1

2000 April 22

2001 May 1

2002 May 4

2003 May 5

2004 May 1

2005 April 23

2006 April 16

2007 May 4

2008 May 14

2009 April 29

2010 April 10

2011 May 3

*2012 April 6

Lake Kabetogama

1952 April 28

1953 April 30

1954 May 4

1955 April 20

1956 May 9

1957 May 2

1958 April 17

1959 April 30

1960 May 10

1961 May 6

1962 May 4

1963 April 28

1964 May 3

1965 May 5

1966 May 14

1967 April 25

1968 April 29

1969 April 25

1970 May 6

1971 April 30

1972 May 12

1973 April 21

1974 May 9

1975 May 8

1976 April 18

1977 May 1

1978 May 5

1979 May 10

1980 April 28

1981 April 18

1982 May 5

1983 April 26

1984 April 24

1985 April 28

1986 April 18

1987 April 17

1988 May 2

1989 May 6

1990 April 26

1991 April 25

1992 May 5

1993 April 29

1994 April 25

1995 April 27

1996 May 18

1997 April 29

1998 April 13

1999 April 30

2000 April 20

2001 May 1

2002 April 30

2003 May 1

2004 April 28

2005 April 20

2006 April 16

2007 April 30

2008 May 9

2009 April 29

2010 April 4

2011 April 30

*2012 March 31

*Earliest ice-out dates for the lakes.