An unusual and visually striking winter phenomenon has recently appeared along parts of Poland’s Baltic Sea coastline, where large ice ridges – some reaching several meters in height – have formed near the shore.
The phenomenon, while natural, is rarely seen at this scale and has drawn attention from residents, meteorologists, and winter weather enthusiasts alike.
What Are Ice Ridges (or Ice Tsunamis?
Ice ridges, sometimes called ice shove ridges or ice tsunamis, occur when floating sea ice is pushed toward the coast by strong winds and wave action.
As the ice sheets collide with the shoreline and with each other, they fracture, pile up, and form jagged walls of ice that can stretch for hundreds of meters.
Along the Polish coast – particularly near areas of the Pomeranian and West Pomeranian regions – these formations have created surreal, frozen landscapes resembling ice formations, more typical of Arctic shorelines than the southern Baltic.
Why Did This Happen Now?
The appearance of ice ridges this winter is the result of a rare combination of meteorological and oceanic conditions, including prolonged sub-zero air temperatures, allowing sea ice to form close to shore, strong onshore winds, pushing ice sheets landward, relatively calm seas prior to the wind shift, enabling ice to form in large, continuous sheets, and shallow coastal waters, which make the ice more susceptible to piling up.
Meteorologists note that while the Baltic Sea does freeze in parts during cold winters, recent decades have seen fewer and weaker freeze events due to rising average temperatures. This makes the current ice ridge formations particularly noteworthy.
Temperature Conditions Behind the Phenomenon
During the formation of the ice ridges, air temperatures along the coast dropped significantly:
- Air temperature: approximately –8°C to –12°C (18°F to 10°F)
- Baltic Sea surface temperature: close to –0.5°C to +1°C (31°F to 34°F)
Because seawater contains salt, it freezes at a slightly lower temperature than freshwater, allowing ice to form gradually under sustained cold rather than suddenly.
A Beautiful but Potentially Dangerous Sight
While the ice ridges are visually stunning, authorities warn that they can be dangerous. The ice formations are unstable and can shift or collapse without warning, especially if temperatures fluctuate or winds change direction.
Local officials and meteorological services advise visitors to keep a safe distance from ice ridges, to avoid walking on frozen coastal ice, and to follow local weather and safety advisories
A Reminder of the Baltic’s Changing Climate
Scientists point out that extreme winter events like this can still occur despite overall warming trends. Climate change does not eliminate cold spells; instead, it can make weather patterns more volatile and unpredictable, occasionally producing intense but short-lived cold extremes.
For now, the ice ridges serve as a rare reminder of the Baltic Sea’s ability to briefly transform into a near-Arctic environment, offering a dramatic snapshot of winter at its most powerful.
Travel Advisory: Conditions along the Baltic coast can change rapidly in winter. Travelers are advised to monitor local forecasts and heed guidance from coastal authorities.
/ Sources: Euronews, Iflscience, the Guardian, TVP World /
