Lake Erie is almost completely frozen over, and the frozen surface cracked open in dramatic fashion over the weekend.
A rift formed Sunday that stretched more than 80 miles from the lake near the Canadian side to the Cleveland area. Strong winds whipped through the Great Lakes on Friday and Saturday, pushing and pulling on lake ice and cracks starting to appear as another blast of arctic air surged into the region.
Such alarming cracks are not unheard of when Lake Erie freezes heavily. As winds shift or ease and temperatures fluctuate, large chunks of ice can drift, collide and separate, creating long, jagged openings in the lake.
These winds also push ice to parts of the coastline, where it can accumulate into ridges and create hazards, including the risk of property damage in vulnerable coastal areas.
Will Lake Erie be 100% covered in ice?
As of this week, about 95% of Lake Erie is covered in ice, according to NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory.
Despite the cold weather this past weekend, the wind helped retain some open water on the west end of the lake. Whether Lake Erie can “close the gap” and reach 100% coverage may depend on the next few days – especially if the winds ease long enough for the ice to spread and lock in.
Lake Erie has reached 100 percent ice cover only three times since records began in 1973.
On February 4, 2026, ice mounds formed along the shores of Lake Erie in Hamburg, New York. (Photo by John Normier/Getty Images)
AccuWeather Great Lakes expert Brandon Buckingham added: “There are signs of warmer weather heading into mid-February, which could limit the potential for a full freeze.”
Ice and snow cover can also affect spring weather around the Great Lakes. AccuWeather is already forecasting below-normal spring temperatures in the region, and widespread ice could delay the arrival of warmer shorelines, especially for communities within a few miles of water.
