Go Back
  • For Business
  • |
  • Warnings
  • Data Suite
  • Forensics
  • Advertising
  • Superior Accuracy™
Flood-weary Texas finally drying out, but near 100-degree heat looms Chevron right
Tropical rainstorm soaks Florida, could strengthen in Gulf before targeting Louisiana Chevron right

Columbus, OH

88°F
Location Chevron down
Location News Videos
Use Current Location
Recent

Columbus

Ohio

88°
No results found.
Try searching for a city, zip code or point of interest.
settings
Columbus, OH Weather
Today WinterCast Local {stormName} Tracker Hourly Daily Radar MinuteCast Monthly Air Quality Health & Activities

Around the Globe

Hurricane Tracker

Severe Weather

Radar & Maps

News

News & Features

Astronomy

Business

Climate

Health

Recreation

Sports

Travel

For Business

Warnings

Data Suite

Forensics

Advertising

Superior Accuracy™

Video

Winter Center

AccuWeather Early Hurricane Center Top Stories Trending Today Astronomy Heat Climate Health Recreation In Memoriam Case Studies Blogs & Webinars

News / Weather News

Jagged danger: Ice floes, jams show a different force of nature at work

They look like giant slabs of white concrete with razor sharp edges. Such ice floes and jams are huge floating masses that can be dangerous to life and property.

By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist

Copied

They all involve ice, but they're not the same. Find out what makes ice floes, ice jams and ice shoves different.

The large chunks of jagged, floating ice look threatening -- and they are. Ice floes and ice jams have the potential to cause significant damage and unexpected flooding along rivers in cold climates by blocking the channels.

While ice floes and jams are usually not a problem from year to year for a particular location, they are most common during the late winter and early spring, when the strengthening rays of the sun create runoff and rises on the streams.

These dangers can also occur early in the winter when a thaw follows a siege of cold weather with sustained temperatures below 32 degrees F.

Static Ice Jam Vermont 1992

Ice jammed the Winooski River and caused it to flood downtown Montpelier, Vermont, in March 1992. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot)

AP

Prolonged cold weather causes ice to form in still water areas of streams and rivers.

Depending on the severity of the cold conditions, the surface of these waterways may freeze over completely, while water flows rapidly beneath the surface.

Fluctuations in the level of the river cause the ice sheet to heave or sag. Since water has tremendous force, a change in water level by a mere couple of inches may be enough to cause the ice sheets to break up and begin moving downstream as an ice floe.

Static Susquehanna River ice floe 1996

A derailed Conrail freight train sits trapped by ice on tracks south of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on Jan. 21, 1996. The freight train was headed to Pittsburgh from Baltimore when rising waters and ice on the Susquehanna River derailed several cars. (AP Photo/Tim Shaffer)

AP

Most often, it is the heaving produced from a significant thaw accompanied by heavy rain that results in major ice floes.

GET THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP

  •   Have the app? Unlock AccuWeather Alerts™ with Premium+

As these blocks of ice move downstream and become lodged against each other near bridges, the confluences of streams, between narrow passages and around bends in the river, an ice jam can develop.

Ice jams may slow the motion of the river to the point where water levels rise significantly farther upstream.

Other formations, called ice shoves, are massive chunks of ice that are pushed onto land by currents and even strong winds that stack on top of each other forming huge piles of ice.

Static Ice Jam Kankakee River Feb. 2014 AP

An ice jam rose up along the Kankakee River and encroached on waterfront property on Feb. 28, 2014, in Wilmington, Illinois. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

AP

In addition to raising the risk of flooding along the immediate banks of the river, damage to adjacent bridges, levees and property may occur. The ice can act like a giant slab of concrete with razor sharp edges.

A rapid breakup of a major ice jam can also lead to flash flooding downstream.

MORE TO EXPLORE:

Drone footage shows spectacular view of ghost town frozen in time
When the skies went dark: Historians pinpoint the very 'worst year' ever to be alive
The one day in recorded history when snow fell in the hottest place on earth
Photographer captures the most detailed images of snowflakes on record

Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts™ are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.

Report a Typo

Weather News

Weather News

Death toll reaches 129 in Texas as new flash flood threat expands

Jul. 13, 2025
Weather Forecasts

Flood-weary Texas finally drying out, but near 100-degree heat looms

Jul. 14, 2025
Weather News

The Deadliest Floods in Texas History: A State at Risk

Jul. 14, 2025
video

Before-and-after pictures show devastation caused by Texas floods

Jul. 9, 2025
Severe Weather

Severe weather to rumble in the central US through the holiday weekend

Jul. 6, 2025
Weather News

Record sargassum seaweed piles up on Caribbean islands, Gulf

Jul. 2, 2025
Weather News

Alabama teen in ICU after lightning strike hits boat, causing burns an...

Jul. 2, 2025
Show more Show less Chevron down

Topics

AccuWeather Early

Hurricane Center

Top Stories

Trending Today

Astronomy

Heat

Climate

Health

Recreation

In Memoriam

Case Studies

Blogs & Webinars

Top Stories

Weather Forecasts

Flood-weary Texas finally drying out, but near 100-degree heat looms

0 minutes ago

Weather News

Thunderstorms bring more flooding, evacuations to central Texas

1 hour ago

Hurricane

Tropical trouble in the Atlantic may brew this week

4 hours ago

Weather News

Grand Canyon fires force closures

1 hour ago

Severe Weather

Wildfire smoke may follow storms, severe weather in eastern US

20 minutes ago

More Stories

Featured Stories

Recreation

Yellowstone’s landscape shifts again with discovery of new hot pool

3 hours ago

Weather News

Orcas are bringing humans gifts of food – but why?

3 days ago

Health

How can families handle new anxieties around summer camp?

3 days ago

Business

Samsung is looking into more AI devices potentially including earrings...

3 days ago

Weather News

The US has a plan to breed millions of flies and drop them from planes

4 days ago

AccuWeather Weather News Jagged danger: Ice floes, jams show a different force of nature at work
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
© 2025 AccuWeather, Inc. "AccuWeather" and sun design are registered trademarks of AccuWeather, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | About Your Privacy Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

...

...

...