Icy winds and waves: Nature's sculptures on Austrian lake

A special kind of winter wonderland can currently be admired on certain stretches of the shores of Lake Neusiedl in Austria.

Icy winds and strong waves have been the artists at play here to create a special wintry spectacle on Lake Neusiedl, Austria's largest lake, this week. Along the eastern shore of the lake, everything is covered with a thick layer of ice.

Icicles weighing several kilos hang from the benches and railings. However, the ice on the lake is too thin for ice skating.

Often strong winds occur here, but in the vast majority of cases, temperatures are above zero - even when cold air from the Arctic Ocean flows in. This is because wind mixes the atmosphere well so that a very cold base layer doesn't often stagnate at the surface.

For this to take place in Austria on this occasion, an influx of icy air from Eastern Europe and Russia produced temperatures well below zero, despite the windy conditions.

The tourism associations advise against skating on the lake. After a few cold days, the layer of ice is not yet thick enough to walk on safely. With daytime temperatures rising well above zero in the coming days, the lake will not freeze any further.