Ice Balls along Lake Michigan have social media abuzz

The frigid temperatures have brought Michigan’s winter wonder back: ice balls along Lake Michigan.

WXYZ Chief Meteorologist Dave Rexroth says the ice chunks break off along the shore and the lake’s wave action grinds the chunks into perfect spheres.

“A sphere is a perfect shape in nature,” said Rexroth.

Much like a wave grinds a rock, the same happens to the ice chunks, Rexroth added.

And people on social media have taken note. Videos and photos of these natural phenomena have started popping up everywhere.

Ice balls in Lake Michigan at St. Joseph lighthouse pier @weatherchannel #ItsSoCold pic.twitter.com/mwD1hYa7b8

— Andrew Seelig (@andrewseeligg) December 29, 2017

 

Icy waters of Lake Michigan. 5* #lakemichigan #airbnbsuperhost #tiscorniabeach #lighthouse #airbnblife #Airbnbphoto #airbnbguest #chicagogetaway #grandrapidsgetaway #indygetaway #ohiogetaway #getaway #mittenstate #puremichigan #airbnblove #iceballs #nosharks #nosalt #winter #wine #beaches #brew #airbnb #lifeisgood Book our #Airbnb

A post shared by B~~ Airbnb (@bk49127) on Jan 1, 2018 at 6:16am PST

 

Officially kicking off 2018 with this shot I took today on a below-zero wind chill Lake Michigan. My camera and I got completely soaked in freezing water from a huge splash off these ice cliffs that quickly turned me into a human popsicle for the walk back to my car. My hands and feet are still numb... happy new year everyone!

A post shared by Cody Shanley (@codyshanley) on Jan 1, 2018 at 5:04pm PST

The deeper a lake and the longer it stays “open” or unfrozen in the winter, the more chance the ice balls have to form – that’s why Lake Michigan is rife with these little beauties.

Lake Superior is the deepest of the Great Lakes.