Many cities across the metro are preparing to open outdoor ice skating rinks in the next six to 14 days.

An oncoming drop in temperature means conditions could finally be ideal for transforming mud pits into skating rinks. Not only will it be cold, but it will be cold for an extended period of time.

“I’d say ten to 14 days of good weather is what you need to make ice,” said Larry Umphrey with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board.

“Ideally, we’d have highs in the upper teens and lows in the single digits. We haven’t had that yet this winter,” he said.

And so hopeful, tentative notices are starting to be posted around the metro.

In Minneapolis, where they maintain 48 rinks, they say openings will begin in phases but could begin some time next week.

In St. Paul, the city already has three refrigerated rinks open and could open five more this weekend.

“It almost doesn’t feel like winter. The neighborhood kids like to come down to the rinks to play hockey and there’s nowhere else to go,” said Jim Reagan with St. Paul’s Park and Recreation Department.

In Woodbury, they opened the rink at M Health Fairview Sports Center over the weekend and will begin flooding rinks later this week.

Cities like Edina and Bloomington hope to open rinks in the next six to ten days.