Monday’s rain slightly disrupts winter activity in Minnesota
The rain isn’t the usual event or festival that Minnesotans want to enjoy in January, but organizers say it’s just a temporary rough patch.
(Fox 9) – The rain isn’t the usual event or festival that Minnesotans want to enjoy in January, but organizers say it’s just a temporary rough patch.
The St. Paul Winter Carnival, a Minnesota tradition, is approaching. But Mother Nature delayed the preparations a bit.
Bill O’Hearn, a volunteer at the St. Paul Winter Carnival Vulcans, said, “As you can see, the grounds are very wet, very muddy and not ideal right now.” It will be difficult at times because you have to go through it, you have to walk through it.”
The snow mountain that will become the sculpture is now covered with a tarp to prevent it from melting.
Over the weekend, O’Hearn and other volunteers began building a snow maze at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.
“It’s been going really well. It’s been ideal weather until today,” he said.
But Sunday sun and Monday rain mean we’re joking about naming the maze “Irene” after the maze’s sloping shape.
Rain also meant rainy days on the slopes of Bloomington’s Highland Hills ski area.
“Today is a little different than what you would normally expect from an MLK Jr. Day at a Minnesota ski resort,” said Andrew Berns, Operations Supervisor, Hyland Hills Ski Area.
This school holiday usually brings more business, but still many parents stopped by.
“We’re still giving lessons. We still have people coming to learn to ski. The season is about three and a half months, four months,” Barnes said.
Mother Nature has brought us some nice surprises this winter as well. Burns said it’s been a “fantastic” ski season so far, with a few exceptions.
This is also the first year that Winter Carnival volunteers no longer have to make their own snow because it is already on the ground.
“So there will be challenges, but what? We’ll be fine. We’ll make it work. We do it all the time,” O’Hearn said.
Vulcan Snow Park Snow Stomp is Saturday. January 21st 9am to 4pm The St. Paul Winter Carnival will host a variety of events from January 26th to his February 5th. This includes Vulcan Snow Park at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds from January 27th to February 5th.