You wouldn't know by looking outside that the St. Paul Winter Carnival is set to begin in a matter of weeks. Dubbed the "coolest celebration on Earth", they might have to tag this year's as the "sorta mildest celebration on Earth".
St. Paul Festival and Heritage Foundation President Lisa Jacobson says they believe there will be snow, and it will be cold enough for the ice sculptures and ice-related events.
If not? She says that's alright too.
"We are thinking and hoping and believing that this kind of weather will bring swarms of people to downtown St. Paul, celebrating winter, whatever that may look like," says Jacobson.
It's brown, there's no snow, and there's no ice. So how do you put on a winter carnival in less than a month?
"We truly believe that it will snow in time before the Winter Carnival and that it will be cold enough for us to have ice-carving," Jacobson says. "We are full-speed ahead in planning for everything on our traditional calendar."
Jacobson says last year's carnival saw bitter cold in nine out of 10 days which kept people away, so she's optimistic they'll see a better turnout this year with the milder-than-usual winter that's expected.
The St. Paul Winter Carnival kicks off January 25th. Jacobson says the schedule of events is constantly changing, so it's best to check their website at wintercarnival.com before you head to town.