Michigan’s Freezing Rain Has Created Spooky “Ghost Apples”

The extreme cold weather has brought unusual phenomenon in the US such as frost quakes, snow squalls and steam fog. This time, it created “ghost apples” in the Fruit Ridge area of Kent County.

Farmer manager Andrew Sietsema was pruning apple trees in an icy orchard when he came across these rare formations. “I guess it was just cold enough that the ice covering the apple hadn’t melted yet, but it was warm enough that the apple inside turned to complete mush (apples have a lower freezing point than water),” he told CNN.

“And when I pruned a tree it would be shaken in the process, and the mush would slip out of the bottom of the ‘ghost apple.'”

Western Michigan has experienced a roller coaster ride of weather this month. “From the icy grip of the Arctic outbreak, to above average temperatures this week, which then lead to a day of freezing rain instead of the snow western Michigan is accustomed to.” CNN meteorologist Judson Jones said.

“Freezing rain will turn anything it touches into a glaze of pure ice. In this case, unpicked old apples,” Jones added.

“Most apples just fell off, ice and all. But quite a few would leave a cool “ghost apple” behind,” Sietsema shared. “Jonagolds are one of my favorite apple varieties, but we’ll call these ‘Jonaghosts.'”