SAUGATUCK, Mich. — A winter phenomena was photographed on Lake Michigan over the weekend: ice volcanoes.
The National Weather Service office in Grand Rapids tweeted photos of the volcanoes “erupting” at Oval Beach in Saugatuck, Mich. Sunday evening.
It was a great day to visit the beach and watch the waves interact with the ice. Here’s a couple “ice volcanoes” erupting at Oval Beach on Sunday, February 16, 2020. #miwx #wmiwx pic.twitter.com/B0Vkl18RrN
— NWS Grand Rapids (@NWSGrandRapids) February 16, 2020
“You never know what you’ll find at the lake until you go out there,” NWS tweeted with a close-up shot of the ice volcanoes.
Those are some of the best ice volcano photos I have seen, I have seen them on the east end of Lake Erie as well!!
— Tom Niziol (@TomNiziol) February 16, 2020
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources says the ice volcanoes can happen when a shell of ice forms and a weak spot is exploited by wave action — creating a hole. Then, the volcano-like structure, they dubbed “sno-cano,” forms around the hole from the water being sprayed from the top.
A couple years ago, the WIDNR got video of ice volcanoes on their side of Lake Michigan.
Ice volcanoes aren’t the only winter phenomena happening along the lakeshore. There are also “ice balls” washing up on shore. 13 ON YOUR SIDE Meteorologist Laura Hartman says the balls are formed when snow slush gets churned by waves, taking the ball shape.
Joshua Nowicki with slurpee slush waves on Lake Michigan yesterday! Saint Joseph, MI. #StormHour @JimCantore pic.twitter.com/Xzg4sPDD7n
— eweather (@Eweather13) December 30, 2017
It’s as cold as balls out, Lake Michigan balls that is, as the mysterious balls of ice make their appearance along the shores of Frankfort, Michigan. pic.twitter.com/YTp9YN3VQH
— Daniel Mears (@MearsDaniel) January 1, 2018
