A frozen lighthouse went viral on various social media site right after “polar vortex” hits the United States. People from around the world started sharing the photos on various social media sites.
Netizens thought that the lighthouse is just another victim of polar vortex that hits the United States and Canada in the fast few days. The picture however, realistic is it, was a hoaxed. The picture of the Saint Joseph Lighthouse in Saint Joseph, Michigan was actually taken way back January 23, 2013.
According to the explanations made by Mashable, the frozen lighthouse viral photo was taken by photographer John McCormick in January 2013. The photo was uploaded to the owner’s Flicker account last January.
The reality of the frozen lighthouse today is that it is covered by even more ice as the United States experienced the polar vortex. A seasoned photographer named Joshua Nowicki took a few pictures of the lighthouse on January 7, 2014 and uploaded the photos on his Facebook page.
Meanwhile according to John McCormick, the lighthouse in Lake Michigan shoreline is occasionally ice up in the coldest part of the winter. He was quoted in an e-mail sent to Mashable “The lighthouses along the Lake Michigan shoreline here in Michigan occasionally ice up like this in the coldest part of winter,” McCormick said in an email. “The strong gales and waves pound them until they look amazing like this, encased in ice.” he stated.
Here’s the photo from Joshua Nowicki Facebook: