We've experienced much warmer than normal temperatures this year - at least in some places. Some years, though, when it gets cold enough and conditions are just right, there's a natural phenomenon that takes place on the Great Salt Lake that's unlike anything you've ever seen. Lots of folks wonder: does the Great Salt Lake freeze? The answer is no, not really - but it does get some crazy ice formations sometimes!

When conditions are just right, a crazy natural phenomenon takes place on the Great Salt Lake.

First, the temperatures must be below freezing.

When you add strong winds to the mix, fresh water from the Jordan River is pushed over the top of the Great Salt Lake's salt water.

The fresh water freezes, creating a layer over the salt water. And, boy, does it look cool!

Winds push the top level of ice against the shoreline and it creates the most spectacular phenomenon you've ever seen. As the ice is pushed against the land, it appears to be moving all on its own. This is called an "ice shove," and in some places of the country, the ice chunks are much larger and can do a lot of damage to structures on land.

The ice shove pictured in the two closest above photos occurred in December of 2016 (the one in the first photo is just illustration). The ice was pushed up against the causeway to Antelope Island, and it didn't reach as high as the road, so no damage was sustained. Keep an eye out for this phenomenon. In order to see it, freezing temperatures have to combine with winds over the lake.

Take a look at this video that was shot by a park ranger on Antelope Island in December of 2016:

Ice shoves occur on the Great Lakes and in a few other spots around the country. Have you ever seen this natural phenomenon in Utah or elsewhere?

In 1949, a massive blizzard blanketed Utah. This historic blizzard in Utah was record-shattering for lots of reasons! Do you have a favorite winter in Utah? Let us know which one it was.