Have you ever seen this?
Probably not exactly like this but it’s possible you’ve seen something like it in your ice cube tray.
It’s called an ice spike. Viewer Tony Deise spotted it in his backyard Tuesday morning in New Westminster.
It’s a rare and natural ice sculpture created, every once in a while, when water freezes in a partially confined space.
The outside or surface of the water in your ice cube tray or — in this case — a bird bath, freezes first, since it’s exposed to the freezing temperatures.
Every once in while, a tiny hole is left in the surface ice and since water expands as it freezes, the expanding water inside has nowhere to go but out the hole, creating a unique upside down icicle.
Ice spikes can also occur on frozen lakes. Viewer Doug McLeod spotted these ice spikes back in January. One looks like a dolphin.
If you’re wondering what happens to the expanding ice beneath the surface when there isn’t a hole, the surface or outside ice usually cracks to make room for the expanding ice water instead.
We’ve had our fair share of interesting weather phenomenon this winter from Hair Ice to Fall Streak Holes to Fern Frost.