Ice volcanoes erupted on the shores of Lake Michigan last weekend, and an employee from National Weather Service (NWS) caught sight of an astonishing scene on the spot. "You never know what you'll find at the lake until you go out there," the employee said, "Today it were volcanoes."
Despite their nickname, ice volcanoes aren't really volcanoes at all. They form at the edges of lakes, where thin sheets of ice form, and water shoots through holes in the ice, Water flows beneath the ice sheet and builds up enough pressure to push water to the surface. If the air above is cold enough, the released water freezes over the surrounding ground, forming a mini volcano of sorts.
Ice volcanoes can be very dangerous to climb on because they are empty inside and built over that hole in the ice. Although some frozen volcanoes were discovered a few years ago, it is still rare to witness one.
Ice volcanoes typically form near large bodies of water where freezing temperatures below allow an ice shelf to form over the water's surface along the coastline. Meanwhile, waves beneath the shelf must be strong enough to crack the ice and push water out. For this reason, ice volcanoes tend to form along shorelines where winds blow up waves constantly.
For example, when the Oval Beach volcanoes were spotted, the wind was almost due west, which was perfect for pushing waves right into the shoreline at this location. Due to their superior size, the Great Lakes may be more likely to form ice volcanoes along their shores than smaller lakes.
So if you want to see an ice volcano in person, the Great Lakes may be your best choice—but be cautious where you step!
