You can't hurry Mother Nature, so Minneapolis park officials are prepping ice skaters that rinks likely won't be open by their scheduled start date on Monday, the first day of the school holiday recess.

But Edina's Centennial Lakes Park has been open for skating for much of December.
According to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, its crews need 10 consecutive days when the temperature stays at 20 degrees or colder in order to flood and open rinks.

But according to long-term weather averages for Minneapolis, there's no stretch during the winter when that happens. The coldest stretch is from Jan. 11-17, when the daily high averages 21 degrees. The average is no higher than 22 degrees from Dec. 31 to Jan. 25.

Of course, weather varies from averages. Rinks opened on Dec. 21 last year. (Photo: That's Cece Magill trying lsles on opening day) . But recent temps have remained below the Park Board's ice-making threshold only once in the last 10 days, and they're not forecast to stay below that level in the next week.

The Park Board operates 47 rinks for skating, broomball, and hockey at 23 parks. It said it hopes to have some open by the end of the month. The status of each rink can be viewed online. That shows no rinks open but you can sign up for e-mailed updates.

Can't wait? Try Lake of the Isles if you're hardy enough. The warming house isn't open -- and neither is the rink officially -- but the ice has been thick to hold ice-flooding equipment and hockey boards have been installed. It's shallow, like Centennial Lakes, so it freezes faster.

Don't tell 'em we sent you.