Ice jam should be a blue, delicious, jelly… lightly tasting of cool mint, vanilla, and chocolate. Spread on a cracker with cream cheese, it would be a delight!
Unfortunately, that is *NOT* what ice jam means.
An ice jam is when ice is broken out of a river due to warming weather or melted runoff from snow (or both). Large chunks of ice stack up in the water and form a dam. Water is slowed and builds up behind the jam into a lake. It can quickly flow over the banks and flood surrounding areas.
That’s happening in Worland and other communities around Wyoming as I type.
It almost happened behind Daniel and Tessia’s house last night. They even went down and checked on it at 2 am. While it jammed and backed up water to the tippy top of the creek bed, it didn’t overflow and flood.
You can see the depth the water was last night with the dark muddy line on the opposite bank. It was probably 3′-4′ higher than in this photo.
Much of this ice is 18″-24″ thick! It is impressive!
Find me here!
Whoa! that ice looks pretty mean. I hope your family will be OK through it all. This winter has certainly been a weird one.
Really strange winter. Had never heard of ice jam flooding before. Want to send condolence on death on George. Woulg love to be Tue. but not possible. Was a dog man.
I’ve never heard of the edible ice jam. Sounds good.
Whoa! Glad it didn’t flood. Impressive.
Thanks for the description of ice jam. I had just read my weather app alert for Ten Sleep that told me about ice jam. I’ve learnt something new today. Take care out there. Water can be very powerful.
That is scary, Glad Daniel and Tessia are okay. Amazing, the power.
So…will you move ice out of the creek or bust up the ice or…just pray for it to melt?
It’ll melt on its own.