New cold snap converts beach of Lake Michigan in Chicago into an ice sculpture park

A new cold snap converted the beach of Lake Michigan in Chicago into an ice sculpture park as trees and grasses in the area got coated with thick ice and frost.

The second round of strong cold air in the new year started striking the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and other areas in central and western U.S. from Sunday, bringing heavy snow and lowering temperature to minus 15 degrees Celsius.

The snow lasted three days and reached more than 10 centimeters in thickness in many areas. The snow accumulated near Lake Michigan even was knee-deep.

High humidity and low temperature enveloped the trees and grasses with ice and frost around the lake, forming natural-looking ice sculptures of various shapes. While some look like eagles on the tree branch, others seem like blooming flowers.

The lighthouse turned into a huge umbrella covered by ice and snow. Though the beacon has been fully covered, icicles keep shining through in bright sunlight.