Being from Michigan I'm used to dealing with freezing cold temperatures.

Detroit Area Walloped With Over A Foot Of Snow From Latest Winter Storm
Joshua Lott/Getty Images
loading...

When I moved to Grand Rapids from Howell I got to experience "Lake Effect Snow"

Wikipedia / NASA
Wikipedia / NASA
loading...

According to Wikipedia lake effect snow is produced during cooler atmospheric conditions when a cold air mass moves across long expanses of warmer lake water. The lower layer of air, heated up by the lake water, picks up water vapor from the lake and rises up through the colder air above. The vapor then freezes and is deposited on the leeward (downwind) shores.

 

94.9 WMMQ logo
Get our free mobile app

 

White snowplow service truck with orange lights and yellow plow blade clearing residential roads of snow while flakes are still falling
Getty Images/iStockphoto
loading...

But one thing I never heard of until today was something called "Ice Balls" 

Paul May YouTube
Paul May YouTube
loading...

According to Atlas Obscura "Ice Balls" are ice boulders that form when cold chunks break from ice sheets, and the movements of a lake’s waves sculpt those pieces into rounder shapes. The balls can also accrue more layers of ice, growing large. On occasion, these rotund ice balls reach lake shores, where they form what can look like very cold ball pits.

This video of ice balls forming on the Lake Michigan shoreline at Esch Road Beach in Benzie County is getting lots of views online. Apparently I'm not the only person that has never heard of or seen ice balls before.

CHECK OUT THESE VIDEOS OF ICE BALLS AROUND LAKE MICHIGAN

 

These Ice Balls Are From Last January at Holland State Park

These Ice Balls formed along Lake Michigan near Glen Arbor

These ice balls formed in Lake Michigan at Idlewood Beach

I need to bundle up and take a trip out to the lakeshore to see if I can see any ice balls in person.

World of Winter 2022

I had so much fun with my wife Lindsey checking out some of the amazing displays for World of Winter 2022 which has tons of great events in Grand Rapids now through Sunday, March 6th. Here are some of my favorite pictures I took.

Famous Celebrities You Might Not Know Are From Michigan

You will definitely recognize these names and faces, but might be surprised to find out they're from Michigan.

More From 94.9 WMMQ