Monday 27 January 2014

LIFE: Icy Lakes and Blizzards

There is something a little unworldly when you look upon what's normally a lively lake at any other time of year. Yet come winter especially this one, for all the eye can see is pure ice. Apparently ice coverage upon the lakes is at it's largest amount for the last 25 years and covers 60% of all the lakes which make up the system.

Jefferson Avenue runs at least partially for a while in the area what's collectively known locally as the Grosse Points alongside the shore of Lake St Clair. While it's tiny in comparison to many other lakes in these parts, it makes up part of the Great Lake System which eventually works it's way eastwards. We happened to be over at that side of Metro Detroit for this weekends estate sales, and while forgetting both of our cameras again, I did manage to grab a couple of bleak shots with the old phone.

LakeStClair LakeStClair LakeStClair

Everything you see to the horizon is ice. An ice lake. 

Don't be fooled by the blue skies, temperatures have done little to get above -5C, in fact -5 feels like a heatwave when the majority of the days are below -10. Crisp, biting winds powerful enough to drive huge snow drifts across the road and rock your car take over when the snow stops. Five minutes after the lake side photographs were taken we were met with a wall of snow blizzard driving and the fun starts again!


SnowDetroit2014

With 31.5" of snow falling in Metro Detroit this month - yes really, it's not surprising this month has seen more than any other in Detroit's weather records (although they didn't begin until 1888).

If you're like me and get interested in this kind of thing there's some great photographs of the ice on the lakes including this drone shot video of the ice upon Lake Michigan to these stunning frozen land camera shots of Lake Erie (the next lake down from Lake St Clair) by Kaylah on her blog The Dainty Squid.

Hope it's warmer where you are!

21 comments:

  1. Great photos for phone ones! Stay warm x

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow gorgeous photos! London would not be able to cope with that sort of weather!

    MyLushBox | YouTube | Bloglovin

    xx

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great photographs, thanks for sharing! Stay safe and warm! :)

    Stephanie
    http://missstephanieusher.blogspot.co.uk/
    Follow @ bloglovin: http://goo.gl/VYmLfM
    Xxx

    ReplyDelete
  4. I can't imagine temperatures being constantly about -10. We've been quite lucky this winter with no snow and only a couple of weeks here and there that it has been really old. Although, even then, I'm only talking -2/-3. Nothing like the freezing cold you've been having! It has been awful wet though which I don't like.

    Debi x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah my friends in the Uk have been saying it's not been too bad a winter, aside from the flooding in the south. But this, this has really altered what winter is to me.

      Delete
  5. the icy lakes have made the end of shipping season more nasty than usual. Nice pictures though and they go to show that the best camera is the one you have on hand.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wow that's stunning! There is nothing more beautiful than snow and ice with blue sky :) x

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh my goodness - that really is bleak! Stay warm.

    Liz @ Shortbread & Ginger

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh my what amazing photographs! The lake looks incredible all frozen over x

    ReplyDelete
  9. Bleak, yes, but also beautiful!I love how snow makes everything pretty and clean looking! I'm not down with the ice and wind that makes winter unbearable! Keep warm!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's the wind chill that is really awful part.

      Delete
  10. Wow these pictures are so beautiful and great to see. But I just can’t imagine being in such cold weather, snow is such a foreign concept to me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's funny you say that because even though I hate it so, not having snow wouldn't seem right for winter.

      Delete
  11. I love Kaylah was one of the first bloggers I followed, I love her land camera pics. I'm from the fingerlakes in NY and they never seem to freeze all over, but they freeze pretty far out. I love the way frozen lakes looks, it looks like the arctic tundra.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think all the lakes combined are at about 60% covered, some more than others. It's crazy.

      Delete
  12. Stunning photographs! I just love the one with the lake. So nicely composed and so beautiful. Makes me wish I was there!
    Andreea | http://catsfika.blogspot.ro/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks - all the first three feature the lake - it's just that hidden under the ice it can be mistaken for land.

      Delete
  13. These pictures are BEAUTIFUL! I'm a big sucker for snow and ice at the best of times but couple that with large bodies of water and I'm hooked.

    Sorcha x Bright Field Notes

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wow, that's amazing. It looks like it goes on forever.
    There are a few small lakes near our house and I'm excited for when (if) it gets super cold to go down and grab some pictures. Here's hoping for some colder weather.
    We are having a surprisingly warm winter in Belgium at the moment, hardly below zero (around 10'C most days) and no snow :( But I consider myself lucky considering the crazy weather others are having.

    I love Kaylah's blog! She takes amazing photos!

    ~ K

    ReplyDelete