Warnings issued about shelf ice along Lake Michigan shores

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. (AP) - Officials in northern Indiana are warning about the dangers of shelf ice that's formed along the shores of Lake Michigan.

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore spokesman Bruce Rowe tells The (Northwest Indiana) Times it's not safe to go out onto shelf ice because there are weak spots and gaps even though the ice looks solid. He says "you can fall through the lake" and the odds of getting out "are close to zero."

Michigan City Park Superintendent Jeremy Kienitz issued a shelf ice warning Thursday, asking people to stay off the ice.

Rowe says you can safely view the shelf ice at the Lake View Beach picnic area in Beverly Shores or from the park's bathhouses. Indiana Dunes State Park officials say they've seen an increase in traffic with people checking out the ice.

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Information from: The Times, http://www.nwitimes.com