Video Catches Ice Cracking On Frozen Lake in New York State

While many areas downstate have remained snow-free through the month of March, there are still a number of areas in New York state that are gradually thawing out from winter.

But not all of the Springtime melt takes place over a long period. A recent Nest video from a local business caught the dramatic moment when a giant crack suddenly appeared on a frozen lake in northern New York state.

Video Catches Moment Frozen Lake Cracks

Life in the ADK shared the video on their Facebook page, which shows the crack suddenly forming on the ice of Fourth Lake in the hamlet of Old Forge. A loud sound can be heard throughout the lake that kind of resembles a steel cable violently shaking and vibrating.

See Also: Officials Called As Man and Dog Fall Through Ice in New York State

While you probably wouldn't want to be walking over the crack as it forms, these changes to the lake are normal as the temperature rises and falls this time of year.

Popular Mechanics says that the strange sounds that frozen waters make are usually "due to ice shifting beneath the surface." Ice forming beneath the surface can often sound like low rumbles or bangs.

The University of Minnesota Duluth says that the "expansion and contraction of the ice is what creates the creaking and groaning sounds".

The Sun shining down on the ice during the daytime can cause the ice to suddenly shift, says the Forest Reserve District. The sound is amplified in areas of the ice that are free of snow and can travel over the rest of the frozen surface like a membrane, or tuning fork.

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You certainly want to double-check when venturing out onto the ice for safety reasons, even during the middle of winter. Law enforcement is called many times to rescue subjects from the water, as the ice can suddenly break.

See Also: New York State DEC Says Accident Sent Snowmobiler Flying 73 Feet Into the Air