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Imagine parking your SUV on a cold but clear spring day and returning to find it transformed into a mountain of muddy ice. One driver in Hamburg, New York had exactly this experience. No it wasn’t snowing, or even raining. Instead, gusting winds dumped enough of Lake Erie on the vehicle to completely cover it (video embedded below).

Someone took a dramatic video of the SUV covered in ice on the shore of Lake Erie. CBS News actually reposted the video to X but made a mistake. The news outlet said the phenomenon was caused by a weekend of “lake effect snow.”

Lake effect snow is common in upstate new york. Storms traveling across the country pick up extra humidity over the great lakes, then often deposit it as snow in upstate New York. But local residents corrected CBS, the weekend in question (St Patrick’s day last year) had been a clear one.

A user, presumably local to Hamburg, reported the following. “The winds have been intense. Freezing spray from an unfrozen lake can cause heavy ice build-ups on just about any surface.”

Yikes! Not a good weekend to park your car down by the shore and forget about it. Another user added, “Well, someone is going to give that person rides until springtime.” But I’m sure the owner, armed with a portable heater and lots of patience, could have gotten back inside the car.

See the video embedded below:

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Staff Writer

Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari joined MotorBiscuit in 2021 and brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. Henry is also an avid attendee at local car shows and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts.

Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont. He has since incorporated his love of the written word with his admiration of classic cars. While Henry is interested in vintage cars, he believes the golden age of cars is yet to come. He is confident journalists will play an important role in this revolution by exposing the industry as it is now and envisioning its possible future.