High Winds create Ice Shoves on Lake Mendota
Thursday’s high winds shoved ice onto the western shores of Lake Mendota. Ice shoves aren’t common in Madison, but can form under the right conditions.
MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - Winds gusted as high as 40-50 mph along the State Line on Thursday. Although gusts were near 40mph around Madison, they were still high enough to create ice shoves on the western shores of Lake Mendota. Viewer video & photos showed the massive piles encroaching on backyards & in one case - a pier.
High winds can break up and even move loose ice on lakes. When the ice is forced against the shoreline, it breaks up and almost appears as an “ice tsunami”. Ice shoves can cause damage to anything in their way. They’ve been known to tear up the ground and in some instances - damage buildings & vehicles.
NBC15 viewer Ann sent in video & a few photos on the ice shoves. Her husband posed with a yard stick for a height comparison - the shoves were more than 3ft high!
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