MUSKEGON, MI— Lake Michigan was blasted with sub-zero Arctic air last week, causing the Lakeshore to rapidly transform into an icy wonderland. Ice cover expanded rapidly last week, reaching a short-term peak of 21 percent ice cover last Wednesday.

The mid-January Arctic blast brought frigid temperatures, helping to firm up a good quantity of ice on Lake Michigan. With the sunshine and more mild conditions over the past weekend, a lot of folks visited the lakeshore to take in the sights of the freshly formed ice with a lot of fantastic pictures: Among the phenomena we see this time of year are ice balls.

Seasonal snowfall is now above average for most of West Michigan and ice coverage has increased on the Great Lakes due to last week's arctic blast.

Paired with the Arctic air comes robust lake-effect snow beginning on Sunday. While the snow will initially target lakeshore counties, wind will eventually blow snow much further inland. Cold will be intense enough to make salt much less effective on the roads.

Stunning satellite imagery reveals the aftermath of a deep freeze in Chicago, showcasing ice formations on Lake Michigan and snowfall across the city.

Massive chunks of ice were seen floating in Lake Michigan on Wednesday, January 29, after more than 20 percent of it was covered with ice last week. Footage from Nate’s Dronography shows “massive floating ice boulders,