- Waterfront properties on the shores of Lake Erie near Buffalo, New York, resemble ice sculptures in the wake of a two-day winter storm that began late last week.
- Some residents reported waking up to dark houses due to the thickness of the ice covering their windows.
- Locals and some visitors have snapped photos of the surreal ice sculptures, prompting the local police department to remind the public that the houses are private property.
- While the ice formations are a sight to behold, residents are nervous about damage to their homes once the ice melts.
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Hamburg – a suburb of Buffalo, New York, on the shores on Lake Erie – looks like a scene out of a storybook.
Late last week, a winter storm that resulted in strong winds and 18-foot-waves encased houses in Hamburg’s Hoover Beach neighborhood in ice.
“Welcome to Narnia,” local photographer John Kucko tweeted.
While communities on the shores of Lake Erie are no strangers to winter storms, one Hoover Beach resident reported that she hasn’t seen ice conditions this extreme in decades.
Here's a look at the sculpture-like frozen houses:
Hoover Beach, a residential community on the shores of Lake Erie, is located 15 minutes south of Buffalo, New York.
Hoover Beach is part of Hamburg, a Buffalo suburb with 57,000 residents.
Source: Google Maps; US Census
Starting on Wednesday, high winds struck the neighborhood, causing waves to crash over roads.
Source: The Weather Channel
By Friday morning, lakefront properties were coated in sheets of ice and adorned with icicles.
Strong winds "allowed water to be blown over the homes and freeze to trees and power lines located behind them," broadcast station WGRZ explained. Source: WGRZ
Some residents reported waking up to dark homes because of the amount of ice that had accumulated on their windows.
Source: WGRZ
Local Ed Mis told WGRZ reporter Karys Belger that he had to break into the front of his own house.
"I actually had to go out a secondary door and then chisel my way back into the house by breaking the ice," he said, estimating that ice coating his house was one to three feet thick.
Source: WGRZ
Resident Lise Kreuder told broadcast station WIVB that she hasn't seen ice conditions this extreme since the 70s.
Source: WIVB
A local restaurant, Hoak's, shared a photo of their ice-covered outdoor bar with the caption "truly beautiful."
Source: Hoak's Lakeshore
A handful of non-residents have ventured to Hoover Beach to snap photos of the ice formations.
In response, the Town of Hamburg Police Department released a statement reminding sightseers that the houses are private property:
Source: Town of Hamburg Police
While the ice sculptures are a sight to behold, residents are worried about damages to their properties once the ice melts.
According to local reporter John Kucko, boulders shielded a section of the lakefront properties from the storm's brunt forces, whereas others were more exposed to the elements.
Ice For Some, Not Others: Here’s why—boulders do the trick as far as slowing momentum of waves/wave spray. It’s costly, but seems to help. Those that didn’t have enough on Lake Erie, took on major ice. @News_8 @spann @JimCantore @CharlesPeekWX @StormHour @wxbywilliams pic.twitter.com/BVWOCVIXAf
— John Kucko (@john_kucko) March 1, 2020
The town of Hamburg plans to apply for FEMA funds this year that could help fund a breakwall - a structure that breaks the force of waves - WIVB reported.
Source: WIVB
