Giant ice disk forms in Maine river, drawing comparisons to UFO

Winter storms have dumped snow and brought bone-chilling cold to New England this week. But it's also brought a rare, breath-taking ice formation to one Maine river.

In the city of Westbrook, Maine — just a 20-minute drive east of Portland — a near-perfect disk of ice has formed in the Presumpscot River.

According to city officials, the disk is about 300 feet wide — about the size of a football field.

The disk formed because of the varying currents of the river. While part of the river flows quickly in a straight line, currents near the other bank flow in a lazy semi-circle. The slower currents caused that portion of the river to freeze over, and the clockwise motion caused ice to form in a disk shape.

Some compared the disk to an alien spaceship.

City officials went the extra mile and captured stunning images of the disk with a camera drone. See the City of Westbrook's video below.

Alex Hider is a writer for the E.W. Scripps National Desk. Follow him on Twitter @alexhider.