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What Is Floating Atop the Milwaukee River?

View from Wisconsin Avenue bridge 3 pm Monday.

As a snow advisory hovers over the region, the Milwaukee River has taken on a strange and ever-changing look.

It looks like a gooey concoction, but according to Milwaukee Riverkeeper, the topping is rapidly forming ice called "pancake."

"Because the river has been wide open due to warm temps, and temps have dropped, it's starting to ice up again," says Riverkeeper Cheryl Nenn, explaining what people might be noticing floating down the river toward Lake Michigan.

Susan is WUWM's environmental reporter.