In January and February, the average high on Mackinac Island is no warmer than 27 degrees Fahrenheit. Since it is below freezing, what becomes frozen stays frozen for a few months at least. However, this permits the amazing development of blue ice.
As with most frozen Lake Michigan phenomenons, these cone-like formations develop over time and under extremely cold weather conditions. Also known as “ice canos,” the main two components that create these natural oddities in winter are wind and water.
Ice balls can form when the temperature has barely dipped below freezing. The ice that forms is still sort of slushy, and all of that slush combines into ball-like shapes. The waves complete the masterpiece by finely honing the circles as they crash into the ice balls.
The Great Lakes are situated in a region that regularly experiences a polar vortex or several during the winter season. That creates the special conditions that form these freaky and frozen formations. So, what is a polar vortex?
On Lake Michigan’s southern shores, there are places where shelf ice forms. This extends as far south as Northern Indiana (as the lake touches its borders). Many people like to visit the area because it’s a touch of what the Arctic region looks like, but it’s much closer to home.