Lakefront neighborhood transforms into surreal frozen wonderland after blizzard's onslaught
The community of Crystal Beach, just across the water and border from Buffalo, found itself blasted by wind-blown spray off Lake Erie for hours as temperatures dipped into single digits, freezing all the water draped along the homes' lake-facing side.
Blizzard's onslaught leaves frozen wonderland along Lake Erie
Several lakefront homes turned into ice-covered testaments to the fury of last week's blizzard along Lake Erie. (Video: @withdupidWEATHER TRAKER /TMX)
FORT ERIE, Ontario – A row of homes that usually have a picturesque front-row seat to the beauty of Lake Erie transformed into a frozen plateau after withstanding hours of a relentless onslaught by the bomb cyclone-fed blizzard last weekend.
The community of Crystal Beach, in the Ontario town of Fort Erie just across the water and border from Buffalo, found itself blasted by wind-blown spray off Lake Erie for hours as temperatures dipped into single digits, freezing all the water draped along the homes' lake-facing side.
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Image 1 of 11TOPSHOT - People walk by homes covered in ice at the waterfront community of Crystal Beach in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada, on December 28, 2022, following a massive snow storm that knocked out power in the area to thousands of residents. (Photo by Cole Burston / AFP) (Photo by COLE BURSTON/AFP via Getty Images) ( )
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Image 2 of 11TOPSHOT - A person walks by homes covered in ice at the waterfront community of Crystal Beach in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada, on December 28, 2022, following a massive snow storm that knocked out power in the area to thousands of residents. (Photo by Cole Burston / AFP) (Photo by COLE BURSTON/AFP via Getty Images) ( )
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Image 3 of 11Ice clings to the facade of frozen homes in the waterfront community of Crystal Beach in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada, on December 28, 2022, following a massive snow storm that knocked out power in the area to thousands of residents. (Photo by Cole Burston / AFP) (Photo by COLE BURSTON/AFP via Getty Images) ( )
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Image 4 of 11A person takes photos of a scene of frozen houses in the waterfront community of Crystal Beach in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada, on December 28, 2022, following a massive snow storm that knocked out power in the area to thousands of residents. (Photo by Cole Burston / AFP) (Photo by COLE BURSTON/AFP via Getty Images) ( )
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Image 5 of 11A person and dog walk by homes covered in ice at the waterfront community of Crystal Beach in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada, on December 28, 2022, following a massive snow storm that knocked out power in the area to thousands of residents. (Photo by Cole Burston / AFP) (Photo by COLE BURSTON/AFP via Getty Images) ( )
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Image 6 of 11People walk between frozen homes in the waterfront community of Crystal Beach in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada, on December 28, 2022, following a massive snow storm that knocked out power in the area to thousands of residents. (Photo by Cole Burston / AFP) (Photo by COLE BURSTON/AFP via Getty Images) ( )
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Image 7 of 11Ice clings to the facade of frozen homes in the waterfront community of Crystal Beach in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada, on December 28, 2022, following a massive snow storm that knocked out power in the area to thousands of residents. (Photo by Cole Burston / AFP) (Photo by COLE BURSTON/AFP via Getty Images) ( )
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Image 8 of 11TOPSHOT - Geese fly over frozen homes in the waterfront community of Crystal Beach in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada, on December 28, 2022, following a massive snow storm that knocked out power in the area to thousands of residents. (Photo by Cole Burston / AFP) (Photo by COLE BURSTON/AFP via Getty Images) ( )
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Image 9 of 11A person takes photos of a scene of frozen houses in the waterfront community of Crystal Beach in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada, on December 28, 2022, following a massive snow storm that knocked out power in the area to thousands of residents. (Photo by Cole Burston / AFP) (Photo by COLE BURSTON/AFP via Getty Images) ( )
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Image 10 of 11Geese fly over frozen homes in the waterfront community of Crystal Beach in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada, on December 28, 2022, following a massive snow storm that knocked out power in the area to thousands of residents. (Photo by Cole Burston / AFP) (Photo by COLE BURSTON/AFP via Getty Images) ( )
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Image 11 of 11People walk by and photograph homes covered in ice at the waterfront community of Crystal Beach in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada, on December 28, 2022, following a massive snow storm that knocked out power in the area to thousands of residents. (Photo by Cole Burston / AFP) (Photo by COLE BURSTON/AFP via Getty Images) ( )
After the storm settled, several homes along the beachfront were coated from roof to floor in a solid sheet of ice several inches thick, with layers upon layers of massive icicles hanging from the openings.
The surreal site has since begun to melt as temperatures climbed into the 40s, with temperatures expected to remain above freezing for at least the next several days.