In the Upper Midwest, the duration of frozen ground conditions suitable for winter harvest operations has already shortened by 2 to 3 weeks in the past 70 years. Cold-season soil temperatures are projected to increase between 1.8 and 5.4 °F by the end of the century, and total frost depth is projected to deline by 40 percent across northern Minnesota by the end of the century. These conditions could increase water infiltration into the soil and reduce runoff, but they may also lead to greater soil water losses through increased evapotranspiration. The decrease in snowcover and frozen soil is expected to affect forest management operations and a variety of ecosystem processes, including decomposition activity, nutrient cycling, the onset of the growing season, and other phenological factors.