Have You Ever Seen Lake Michigan In The Wintertime?
Lake Michigan in the wintertime is one of the most compelling body-of-water-sights you’ll ever see. In fact, frozen Lake Michigan is the second biggest of the Great Lakes by volume, and the third-largest by surface area.
Lake Michigan is the only one of the Great Lakes located entirely in the United States. The other lakes share space with Canada, and are lived on and appreciated by both countries.
Lake Michigan in the winter is a sight to behold no matter where you’re from and what you’ve seen with regards to frozen lakes.
These Dramatic And Inhospitable Scenes Are A Common Winter Phenomenon
They may look dramatic and inhospitable, but these common phenomenon are no less breathtaking. Keeping in mind as well that the US Coast Guard warns people to keep their distance from the frozen surface.
It’s almost like a magical image that can draw you in. However, you need to be careful because the frozen top can be deceiving. No ice is ever really safe, especially in the time of year when it’s melting, deteriorating, and breaking up with additional heat.
The Lake Michigan waters have a history of being very deadly. In fact, there have been over 1,000 drownings in the Great Lakes since 2010. In 2020, 37 people died in Lake Michigan, making it one of the worst years ever for drownings in the lake.
What Causes The Frozen Lake Michigan “Waves” To Form?
The Lake Michigan frozen waves that form on frozen Lake Michigan are from the warm water moving underneath the ice. Basically, this moving water pushes the ice sheets to the surface, creating all of these gorgeous pattens.
Temperatures reach -30C during the peak of the cold, which causes ice shelves to form on the lake. These are hills formed from waves crashing over existing ice piles.
Once warmer weather starts to show up in the area, it destroys the ice and basically transforms the lake into an incredible, pointy wonderland.
Is The Entire Lake Frozen, Or Just The Top?
The ice is just on the surface, which is why it’s really important to not walk on this lake!
Unfortunately, with the rise of people doing things to post on their Instagram feeds, people have been trying to take pictures of themselves on the lake. This is not a good idea! There’s warm water that moves underneath the ice on this lake, making the top potentially dangerous.
Further, because it’s hard to tell where the beach ends and the lake begins, experts warn for people to stay right away from the lake to ensure maximum safety.
Can Boats Travel Through The Lake When It Is Frozen?
Boats will have a hard time travelling through Lake Michigan frozen waves. Obviously. Not only would it be challenging, but it’s also super unsafe. Any of the ice shards could pierce a boat. In addition to hurting your boat, you could end up in the water and you could die.
However, some coast guards have special equipment and can travel through frozen Lake Michigan.
How To See Lake Michigan Frozen In The Wintertime
You can just go to Lake Michigan in the winter to see these amazing sights. 12 million people live along the shores of Lake Michigan, mainly in the Chicago and Milwaukee metropolitan areas.
Mid February is when Lake Michigan usually reaches its peak ice coverage for the year. However, if you really want to see the ice shards that make the lake so famous, you’ll want to get there as spring starts to kick in.
Essentially, late winter to early spring is the best time to go and checkout Lake Michigan frozen in the winter. Please remember to keep a safe distance. No Instagram photo is worth your life or even a cold dunk in this dangerous lake!
- Related: These ice formations on Lake Baikal look like they were carved by aliens!