What are these “ice balls” that cover entire beaches and why do they form?

During the winter, an extraordinary natural phenomenon occurs in some polar and coastal regions: the formation of gigantic spheres of icealso known as “ice eggs”. These curious agglomerations, which can cover entire beachesrepresent a rare example of interaction between meteorological and environmental factors.

Ice balls are formed thanks to a precise combination of temperature, wind and wave motion. The temperature needs to be just below freezing, but not too low, to allow ice and snow to penetrate blend together without becoming too fragile.

The coastal waves they play a key role, pushing fragments of ice and snow back and forth which, rolling in the shallow water, gradually take on a spherical shape. This process resembles the natural modeling of pebbles on beachesbut it occurs under harsher conditions.

They can reach one meter in diameter

The sizes of these spheres vary from a few centimeters to a meter in diameterwith a weight that can reach i 30 kilograms. Their rarity depends on the fact that the “meteorological cocktail” necessary for their formation must be perfectly balanced: too violent waves fragment the ice, while too cold temperatures make it too hard to aggregate. For this reason, the phenomenon is not predictable and remains an occasional event even in the coldest regions.

The best-known locations for these formations include i American Great Lakesespecially the Lake Michiganwhere ice spheres appear almost every winter. Here entire stretches of beach can be covered by these perfectly shaped balls, creating spectacular scenery. Similar phenomena have also been observed in other parts of the world, such as Canada, Finland, Russia and northern Germany. However, there is no news of similar episodes in France or Italy.

The formation of ice spheres continues to be an object of curiosity and study. Although much is known about the basic processes, There are still many unanswered questionsin particular on the specific interaction between wind, temperature and waves that leads to their creation. This aura of mystery contributes to making ice balls a fascinating phenomenon, capable of capturing the imagination and reminding us of creative power of nature.