March 2025 Issue of The MMM
When Ice Crushed 100 Cottages Along Saginaw Bay
On March 9, 1946, a powerful windstorm pushed massive ice floes onto Killarney and Ricomo Beaches along Saginaw Bay, about five miles north of Bay City. Within hours, towering 40-foot walls of ice surged inland, crushing over 100 cottages in their path.
This rare and dramatic phenomenon, often called an "ice tsunami," has only happened a handful of times in recorded history—most notably in 1946, 1948, 1952, 1968, 1970, and 1984. The event remains one of the most unforgettable weather disasters in Mid-Michigan history.
🌊 Did You Know?
While ice shoves are unpredictable, they occur when strong winds and fluctuating temperatures cause large sheets of ice to break apart and pile up along shorelines.
📖 Want more Mid-Michigan history?
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