Nightmare fuel: Deadly "ice volcanoes" have formed around Lake Ontario

With the winter intensifying, “ice volcanoes” are forming along the shoreline of Lake Ontario, and while they look intriguing, they can be deadly.

The Weather Network reported on Tuesday that mounds of ice — also known as ice shelves — are mushrooming on the shorelines of the Great Lakes. Though they “may appear to be an invitation to climb on,” the weather agency noted that they’re considered dangerous.

The phenomenon of ice shelves is an interesting one. While they may look like hills of accumulated snow, they have a volcano-like cavity in the middle that leads directly to the water below. So if you’re messing around with them, a small slip could land you in big trouble.

Police have warned the public about the risks of attempting to explore ice shelves.

Ice shelves are forming at various locations along Lake Ontario’s shoreline. Nifty to look at, but not safe to explore. While the water is shallow underneath, if you pop through, you may not get out.

Remember: No ice is 100% safe.

[Illustration: Tom Gill, with consent] pic.twitter.com/utZEZ722H5

— Halton Police (@HaltonPolice) January 25, 2022

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“Ice shelves protect the shorelines from erosion but are also very dangerous since they are not solid structures,” said Melinda Singh, a meteorologist at The Weather Network. She added that they form when the water of the Great Lakes is propelled to the shore by strong winds and freeze upon impact.

This isn’t a one-time process. Layers and layers of ice build as freezing waves hit the shore over and over again, and some of these mounds form a cavernous mouth.

“As waves hit the leading edge, it carves through the ice, ejecting water upwards into the air,” said Weather Network meteorologist Matt Grinter. “As this process continues, the ejected water continuously freezes, growing the ice volcano larger with each ‘eruption.'”

The layers of ice on top make the ice volcanoes particularly hard to detect. “This can lead to people plunging down into a six-to-10-foot-deep hole into the frigid waters,” Grinter said.