With Mother Nature’s recent arctic blast hitting central Minnesota, the Minnesota DNR wants to remind the public that it is too early to head out on Minnesota lakes.

Operations Manager of the DNR Enforcement Division Major Greg Salo says while there are thin layers of ice forming on some area lakes, a few days of cold temperatures will not create ice strong enough to hold a person.

The DNR recommends about four inches of ice are needed to be safe enough for people to walk on.

The DNR recommends the following for ice thickness:

• 4 inches for walking
• 5 inches for a snowmobile or ATV
• 8-12 inches for a car
• 12-15 inches for a medium-sized truck