Icy variations

A diptych of two photos of lake ice with dramatically different patterns.

It’s fascinating how thawing and freezing cycles can produce such different patterns in the lake ice, so close together. These two shots were taken just a few feet from each other on Lake Mendota.

Lake ice with a pattern of thin, wavy streaks.

Lake ice with a pattern of hard, angular shapes. A very light dusting of snow is on one side.