A year of wild winter weather continued this week, as hurricane strength winds gusting up to 75 miles per hour plagued the East Coast.
In New York, where the powerful storm was at its worst, the icy and windy conditions combined to create a unique and bizarre emergency
The coast along Lake Erie was hit with an "ice tsunami" as swelling waves pushed frozen chunks onto shore.
Sections of the Niagara River Parkway were closed during the storm, as photos and videos from the Canadian side of the water show piles of ice towering over cars.
@NiagParksPolice advising that @NiagaraParks Roads Department closing Niagara River Parkway near Mathers Arch. Strong winds blowing ice over the retaining wall from the lake. Drive with caution. Video courtesy @NiagRegPolice Insp. Garvey.... pic.twitter.com/RdXh5HYxfx
— Niagara Parks Police (@NiagParksPolice) February 24, 2019
HAPPENING NOW: Ice is being blown off Lake Erie up against the shore. It's so windy here you can be held up by the wind @SPECNewsBuffalo pic.twitter.com/KWjuvR3buI
— Maura Christie (@maurachristieTV) February 24, 2019
Niagara Parks Police said the wind was actually strong enough to carry the ice over the lake's retaining wall.
Residents in Hamburg, New York were under a voluntary evacuation order because of a flood risk as ice piled up close to waterside homes, with some mounds as high as 30 feet creeping up to backyards.
There is a voluntary evacuation of Hoover Beach at this time. Residents in Hoover Beach can expect the Woodlawn FD to...
Posted by Town of Hamburg Emergency Services on Sunday, February 24, 2019
As the strong winds continue Monday, knocking down power lines and causing outages, police warn to be careful on the roads and avoid long trips if possible.
The same slow-moving weather pattern that kept the winds gusting over the Great Lakes on Monday could bring more snow, and even blizzard-like conditions, as the week continues.
[H/T: Fox News]
