Freezing spouts

 Ice Volcanoes pop up in Kazakhstan and in Lake Michigan

What is an ice volcano? In cold climates like we have here in northern Illinois or in Central Asia, ice volcanoes form when water or water vapor seeks to escape from the ground through a covering of ice or snow. As the vapor or water melts snow and ice it gradually raises a kind of ice spout higher and higher in the air that gets covered with snowfall. This tube forms a volcano shape even though it is actually not related to a real volcano at all. 

Stay away from ice volcanoes!

In Lake Michigan ice volcanoes form along the shore as the waves rush under the ice and sometimes create an opening in the ice. This opening raises higher and higher as it gets covered with snow and more ice from the waves splashing over the ice. 

Lake Michigan Ice Volcano

On the other hand in Kazakhstan, hot springs can produce ice volcanoes in a similar manner. However these ice volcanoes rise much higher because they are created by steam, not by waves. 

Ice volcano in Kazakhstan

 Ice volcanoes are an interesting natural phenomenon in colder climates like ours, but I wouldn't want to get close to the ice volcanoes on Lake Michigan. It wouldn't be nice to fall in the freezing water! Stay away from ice volcanoes to be safe.

 

Question: Do you like to walk in winter weather or stay indoors?

Spectacular 'ice volcano' appears in Kazakhstan

Lake Michigan ice formations can be dangerous for onlookers 

Officials warn of Lake Michigan shelf ice and ice volcanoes