Climate Change To Cancel Ice Rinks In Minnesota? Yes, Says The Washington Post

 

A recent article in The Washington Post, where democracy goes to die in darkness and lies, opened by waxing idyllic about ice rinks in Minnesota. The kids, the bonfires, the warming houses, the hockey, the romance.

All being destroyed by climate change. Of course. Knew there had to be a reason for the article about ice rinks in Minnesota. Which are soon to go the way of the dinosaur (also killed off by man-made climate change!)

The Post: “But climate change is threatening the future of the city’s [Minneapolis] rinks. Local officials say warmer winters and unpredictable weather are forcing them to reassess the high price tag of this beloved winter tradition.”

“Unpredictable weather?!” Egads! That’s a new thing! Weather has heretofore always been so predictable…so constant! Summer, winter, night, day, everywhere, forever!

The Post: “It takes at least a month of watering the ground 14 hours a day to create the base of the rinks. Once the ice is four inches thick, it has to be sprayed with water daily to keep the surface smooth. But last year, the warmest on record in Minnesota, all the rinks turned to slush after just eight days of mediocre skating in January. That abbreviated season cost the city $887,646 in staff time, said Robin Smothers, spokesperson for the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board.” I don’t want to quibble here, as last winter was incredibly warm overall, but there were 16 consecutive days in January where the temperature never got above freezing, six of which had official lows below zero.

The Post: “Facing a budget shortfall, the city didn’t bother to open two of its rinks this winter. The weather has been colder, making the ice easier to maintain, but temperatures have spiked twice already this season, forcing some rinks to temporarily close, park officials said.” You’ve got to be kidding me. This winter has been cold. We just came through a lengthy stretch of way-below-zero weather. “Temperatures have spiked twice already.” In late February? That is not at all uncommon, probably less than in an average winter. Due to the angle of the sun, rinks have historically petered out in mid-February, even in Minnesota.

Again, The Post: “’Ideally, the rinks open in time for public schools’ holiday break in mid-December,’ said Jeremy Barrick, assistant superintendent for Environmental Stewardship for the Minneapolis Parks. ‘It met that goal this year for the first time in eight years, but that doesn’t guarantee a smooth season,’ he said. ‘The climate has definitely impacted that,’ he said. The climate has always impacted everything since, oh, the beginning of time.

One more time, The Post: “Average winter temperatures have been rising between 5 and 7 degrees for decades, and there are 10 to 14 fewer days per year of ice cover on the state’s thousands of lakes, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Minnesota’s average temperature in December, January and February in 2020 was 18 degrees. In 2024, it was 24 degrees, according to department data.”

I don’t even know where to start on this one, it is so poorly worded. And reasoned. “Average winter temperatures have been rising between 5 and 7 degrees for decades?” Every decade? Over how many decades? Between 5 and 7 degrees? So, the temps haven’t risen continually over time? “Minnesota’s average temperature in December, January and February in 2020 was 18 degrees. In 2024, it was 24 degrees.” That’s 4 years apart! Nothing can be gleaned from that. The average temperature for those months this year is going to be significantly colder than last year. The average temperatures in those months in some past years were significantly warmer.

And the Minnesota DNR’s alleged assertion that “there are 10 to 14 fewer days per year of ice cover on the state’s thousands of lakes” is, at minimum, out of context. The lake I frequent, in the central part of the state, tracks with most of the state’s lakes in terms of ice-out dates. 15 out of the past 22 years, the ice-out date has been later than the historical average of April 21. That’s 68% of ice-outs in the past two+ decades that have been later than normal. Last year was the earliest ever, but the two years prior to that, the ice didn’t go out until May 4^th and 6^th, respectively. In 2013, the ice did not go out until May 15^th, several days after the fishing opener! It was eerie, surreal. There was no traffic, no boats, and few people in the area, when usually it is a madhouse of fisherman desperate to get out and shake off cabin fever.

The article noted that Minneapolis may not open up as many rinks in the future, and that the city is facing a “budget shortfall.” Don’t get me started on why the city is allegedly facing a “budget shortfall.” That is complete bullshit. The idea that the city won’t open rinks due to global warming/climate change is also complete bullshit. Demographic change in certain areas has far more to do with it. You see, most North Africans and Middle Easterners don’t skate, and certainly don’t come from a hockey tradition.

If “The State of Hockey” someday is no more, don’t blame “climate change.”

As usual, the fault would lie with progressive asshats. There are more than enough of those in Minnesota. And, unfortunately, they won’t be going away any time soon.