See stunning blue ice here to stay through cold snap

MACKINAW CITY, MI – The current cold snap – with the coldest air of the season is moving in this weekend – has created perfect conditions for the formation of stunning blue ice in the Straits of Mackinac.

The giant shards of light blue ice buildup on top of each other, creating structures that would delight even Queen Elsa of Disney’s “Frozen” franchise. This marvel first lit up social media in 2016; since then, we’ve been on the lookout for its appearance.

The phenomenon has been forming along the shore of Mackinaw City for the past week or so, establishing a picturesque landscape for photographers, especially when the Mackinac Bridge can be framed into the background.

Blue ice in the Straits of Mackinac, 2021 — Giant shards of stunning blue ice build up in the Straits of Mackinac during February 2021.Kim Mettler | Michigan Barefoot Memories Photography

Photographer Kim Mettler of Michigan Barefoot Memories Photography shared her shots via social media earlier this week.

“It’s been several years, but the fabulous blue ice is back at the Mackinac bridge this winter!” Mettler said in the post. “What a phenomenal sight to see!”

After venturing onto the ice to capture stunning photos, she warned followers to take caution when visiting. The ice is slippery, the stacks of shards are not stable and there could be danger of falling in if one wanders out too far (there’s still open water in the Straits). She also advised visitors to be aware and respectful of private property.

Alexander Henry Park, 518 N. Huron Ave. in Mackinaw City is a good place to view the blue ice with a backdrop of the Mackinac Bridge.

With the winter’s coldest temperatures expected to cover Michigan, Valentine’s Day weekend will be an ideal time to see this marvel in person – don’t forget to bundle up.

“This weekend may feel a bit like being in the freezer as the coldest air of the season moves overhead,” National Weather Service Gaylord said via Facebook. “Multiple rounds of snowfall are expected over the next several days. Cold temperatures and wind chills will continue to be a concern across Northern Michigan through the weekend. Plan accordingly if planning to head into the Great Outdoors this weekend!”

As for the science behind the blue ice? Apparently, it’s due to a lack of air bubbles, and how the eye perceives the ice, according to staff at the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, where blue ice also can form near the famous ice caves.

“Ice only appears blue when it is sufficiently consolidated so that air bubbles do not interfere with the passage of light,” Apostle Islands staff explained in 2018. “Without the scattering effect of bubbles, light can penetrate ice undisturbed. In ice, the absorption of light at the red end of the spectrum is six times greater than at the blue end. Six feet into the ice, most of the light in the red spectrum can’t be seen. A lack of reflected red wavelengths produces the color blue in the human eye.”

In 2016, the ice became a social media phenomenon when people shared pictures of it stacking up near the Mackinac Bridge. When it returned in 2018 - and stayed for weeks - it became a tourism draw near the Straits of Mackinac. In 2019, a photographer spotted it in an unexpected place: Along Lake Superior’s Munising Bay.

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