
Pancake Ice Spotted in Multiple West Michigan Locations During Brutal Coldsnap
Mid-January 2025 turned out just as weather forecasters and climatologists predicted: a brutal coldsnap that sent wind chill values well below zero.
That cold certainly has an effect on the region's Great Lakes as pancake ice has been spotted at several locations along Lake Michigan.
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Pancake Ice is formed as waves lap around slush to form icy platters that are very reminiscent of pancakes. Wikipedia describes the science behind the phenomena:
Pancake ice features elevated rims formed by piling of frazil ice or slush onto the edges of pancakes when they collide, both due to random bumping into each other and because of periodic compressions at wave troughs.
Pancake Ice in St Joseph
One example that was caught on camera came from St Joseph. Nates Dronography captured video showing the ice both in the channel between the north and south piers that serves as the outlet of the St Joseph River as well as the nearshore waters on both sides of the piers.
Pancake Ice Along the Black River in South Haven
Roughly 20 miles north of St Joe, a similar phenomenon appeared in South Haven. Visit South Haven captured video that shows ice formations in the Black River channel. They appear more ice balls than fully formed pancakes. However, with the wave action in the video, it's easy to imagine the pancakes forming.
READ MORE: Watch Police Shoo Family off Unsafe Lake Michigan Ice
Pancake Ice in Grand Haven
Pancake ice has also been spotted were the Grand River meets Lake Michigan at Grand Haven.
Commentors to the videos shared that they observed similar pancake ice occuring elsewhere along the lake in locations like Petoskey.
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Gallery Credit: Eric Meier