Lake Michigan 2 days ago

For poking fun and off topic subjects
Post Reply
User avatar
butlersrangers
Posts: 9827
Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2009 11:35 pm
Location: Below the Bridge, Michigan

Lake Michigan 2 days ago

Post by butlersrangers »

Frozen sand and strong winds, it kind of looks like Bryce Canyon "Hoodoos".
Attachments
Lake Michigan Wind-Power.jpg
Lake Michigan Wind-Power.jpg (41.67 KiB) Viewed 476 times

FredC
Posts: 1991
Joined: Fri May 31, 2013 4:38 pm
Location: Dewees Texas

Re: Lake Michigan 2 days ago

Post by FredC »

Very unusual looking formations there. Did the sand that was there blow up on dunes or hills close by? Could those formations be critter borrows that filled with wet sand then froze? If not, it is hard me as an outsider to figure out the process.

User avatar
butlersrangers
Posts: 9827
Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2009 11:35 pm
Location: Below the Bridge, Michigan

Re: Lake Michigan 2 days ago

Post by butlersrangers »

Sand is always moving, borne by wind and water.
The prevailing wind carries particles of dry sand from the Prairies to the East.
The Sun warms land faster than water, so during the day breezes come off the water toward the land, depositing sand on the beaches.
Dry sand is always drifting, moved by the wind. This can create Dunes, a bit inland that are stabilized by moisture, grasses and other vegetation.
In developed beach areas, the dry sand is free to drift, covering roads, yards and structures. It has to be resisted with 'snow-fencing' or removed with road-graders and front-loaders, to put it back on the beach.

In the photo I posted, the beach sand was wet and frozen. Swirling wind currents have slowly dried some of the sand and carried grains away, sculpting the columns of still wet & frozen sand.

The grains that were carried off may be building up a Dune, covering someone's cottage porch, or out in the Lake and in the process of being washed ashore.

Post Reply