London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 23, 2026

Lake houses don't even look real after being covered in ice during winter storm

Lake houses don't even look real after being covered in ice during winter storm

Crystal Beach in Canada is truly living up to its name as a massive winter storm last week left it coated in ice.


The lakefront community in Fort Erie, Ontario, is close to the border of New York city Buffalo which has been especially battered by the blizzard.

Looking like it was straight out of the Disney film Frozen, Crystal Beach has been dusted by snow and ice, blanketing rooftops, windows, sheds and cars.

Province officials have issued a weather warning due to the powerfully frigid winds and piles upon piles of snow.

Nearly 15,000 Fort Erie residents were left without power over the weekend, with a December 26 update from Canadian Niagara Power saying nearly 4,000 people are still without electricity.

The gusts have proved so intense that they threw water onto a row of buildings sitting on the lakefront.

Lake water was splashed onto the houses by the wind

The lakefront houses were completely crystalised by the ice

Residents are worried, however, about the water pooling when it melts


Resident Derek Tupling told CTV News Toronto on Tuesday: ‘(The waves) were coming up over the break wall. They were probably 10, 15 feet high, up above the break wall.

‘Then the water has frozen up the backsides of the houses, so from the tops of the houses all the way down.

‘So, you can just imagine the sheer volume and strength of water coming up over the wall to hit it and then freeze – flash freeze – immediately. It’s absolutely incredible.’

Tupling said the ice on the backs of the home is at least a foot thick, raising fears of the pooling water that could follow when it thaws.

‘We’ve been here for a long time and have never seen weather as bad as that over that period of time,’ he added.

‘The damage that’s been caused and the destruction on the backsides of these houses of where we are now is unbelievable.’

The icy phenomena were down to a severe winter storm sweeping across Canada and the US

The ice clung to almost every part of the properties

Everything from Niagara Falls to lighthouses has been frozen by the big chill


Many Crystal Beach locals were left in disbelief waking up to the whiteout conditions – and they certainly weren’t alone.

Tourists were stunned to see the mighty Niagara Falls had almost frozen solid due to the cold, while the deep freeze iced a lighthouse into a sculpture.

Though this has all come with a heavy price.

The death toll from the brutal bomb cyclone – an uncommon yet powerful winter storm – has reached more than 60/

Officials have said the storm, which collided with the region on December 23 and lasted roughly 36 hours, is one of the worst in recent memory.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Northern Ireland Secures Additional Infrastructure Funding From UK Treasury
Wales Approves Port Investment Plans to Support Green Energy Supply Chains
UK Financial Regulator Simplifies Stock Market Rules to Attract More Listings
UK Reports Decline in Small Boat Crossings Across the English Channel
UK Government Creates Emergency Support Fund for Financially Pressured Universities
Scottish Government Launches Economic Strategy Focused on Innovation and Renewable Industries
UK Expands Sustainable Farming Incentives to Support Environmental Measures
UK Government Introduces New Neighbourhood Policing Standards Across England and Wales
UK Competition Regulator Opens Review of Artificial Intelligence Foundation Models
UK Deepens Indo-Pacific Security Cooperation After Talks With Singapore and Japan
UK Announces Rail Modernisation Plan for Northern England With New Infrastructure Funding
UK Government Updates Housing Planning Rules to Accelerate Residential Construction
UK Approves Major North Sea Offshore Wind Project to Support Clean Power Goals
UK Health Service Begins Major Digital Upgrade to Cut Hospital Waiting Times
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates Steady as UK Inflation Pressures Remain Persistent
UK Universities and Industry Expand Space and Defense Research Partnerships
House of Lords Approves Social Housing Bill Amendments on Shared Ownership Rights
House of Lords Advances Civil Aviation Bill With New Passenger Protection Measures
UK Government Suspends Tariffs on Fertilizer and Food Imports to Reduce Costs
Russell Group Universities Support New UK Business Department Focused on Innovation
UK Parliament Opens Inquiry Into Transport Barriers Facing Young Jobseekers
Home Builders Federation Calls for Lower Costs as New UK Government Sets Housing Priorities
Andy Burnham Meets UK Devolved Leaders to Strengthen Regional Cooperation
Andy Burnham Holds First International Calls With Trump, Macron, and Zelenskyy
Andy Burnham Reshuffles Cabinet With John Healey Appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer
Andy Burnham Government Removes VAT From Electricity Bills to Cut Household Costs
Andy Burnham Becomes United Kingdom Prime Minister After Sir Keir Starmer Resigns
Miliband Sets Climate and International Law at Centre of UK Diplomacy
US Gasoline Returns to $4 as Renewed Iran Fighting Disrupts Oil Flows
Czech Central Bank Governor Rejects Early Euro Entry and Rate-Cut Pressure
Trump Orders 50% Tariffs on Selected Canadian Imports
Pentagon Discloses Nearly 100 US Troop Injuries During Renewed Iran Fighting
Trump Readies New Tariffs as Temporary Global Levy Nears Expiry
US Judge Pauses Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros Discovery Merger Over Antitrust Concerns
NHS England Faces Growing Retention Pressure Among Younger Midwives
UK Data Centre Expansion Faces Water and Grid Capacity Challenges
UK Defence Shares Rise After John Healey Appointment and Continued Spending Commitments
OECD Urges UK Government to Review Pension Triple Lock to Protect Public Finances
Bank of England Keeps Cautious Approach as Energy Costs Threaten Inflation Progress
County Councils Call for Wider Devolution and Long-Term Social Care Funding Reform
IMF Urges UK Government to Maintain Fiscal Discipline as Growth Forecast Slows
Russian Warship Holds Live-Fire Exercises Near UK Coast as Royal Navy Monitors Activity
Mitie Agrees Three Point One Billion Pound Takeover by OCS in Another Blow to London Listings
JPMorgan Chase Warns Bank Levies Could Hit UK Growth and Drive Capital Away
UK Unemployment Holds at Four Point Nine Percent as Labour Market Shows Resilience
UK Government Borrowing Falls Below Forecasts as Treasury Receives Early Fiscal Boost
John Healey Cuts VAT on Household Electricity Bills After Cancelling National Digital ID Scheme
Andy Burnham Forms New Labour Government With Ten-Year National Renewal Plan
EU Imposes Record €550 Million Digital Services Fine on AliExpress
UK Publishes Updated Consumption-Based Carbon Emissions Data
×