Stubborn snow pile at MSP Airport persists despite hot weather

Winter is long gone, but a stubborn pile of snow remains on the ground at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport despite the steamy temperatures.

"The snow pile at MSP airport just wants to hang around and enjoy the warm weather!" MSP staff posted on the airport's Twitter account, garnering hundreds of retweets and reactions, including from some people who joked about celebrating Christmas in July.

The pile of snow — which once stood 70 feet high — is now covered in dirt and sand. Given Minnesota winters, it's normal to spot snow on the ground even during warmer weather, but MSP officials say this is only the second time crews recall seeing a snow pile linger this long. The first was in 2018, when a similar snow pile remained on the ground through July 27.

"This year, we're getting close to that," said Jeff Lea, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Airports Commission which operates MSP.

Maintenance crews at the airport haul the snow off the runways and tarmacs and put it on the north side of the airfield, turning it into a mountain of snow every winter. This winter, however, was exceptionally snowy. With 90.3 inches of snow in the metro area, the Twin Cities recorded its third-snowiest winter on record, Praedictix meteorologist Todd Nelson said.

The dry conditions have also made it difficult for the snow pile at MSP airport to melt. As of June, the Twin Cities had about 1.5 inches of rain, making it the fifth- or sixth-driest summer. More rain would likely help the lingering snow melt away, Nelson said.

"It's definitely been hot, warmer than average and we've had very little precipitation," he said. "The lack of precipitation, too, is maybe part of the reason why that snow pile is still there."