Frozen clouds over Lake Michigan? NBC 5 Storm Team meteorologist explains the stunning sight

As brutally cold conditions gripped the Chicago area this past weekend, a rather peculiar phenomenon surfaced along Lake Michigan.

Multiple videos captured along the lakefront showed a stunning sight – what appeared to be a band of clouds visible near ground level, just above the water.

Oak Street Saunas posted footage of the uncommon occurrence on TikTok, writing, “We’re open – frozen clouds and all!”

While the clouds might seem frozen, that’s not necessarily true, NBC 5 Storm Team Meteorologist Pete Sack revealed. They’re actually created by cold air moving over warm water, and if conditions allow, can lead to lake-effect snow.

@oak.street.sauna

We’re open – frozen clouds and all!

♬ original sound – Oak St. Sauna

The clouds also go by another name – the “Michigan Mountains.”

“…They’re relatively stagnant in the sense that they don’t move toward us,” Sack shared. “They appear to hover in the same place. Like mountains.”