Now that we're in mid-February, we are in the portion of the calendar where we have been enduring cold and snow for weeks now. This winter has been brutal for New York State, especially those off Lake Erie and Lake Ontario (lake effect snow).

It takes a lot for people here in the northeast to be surprised about, when it comes to weather things, but there's something that happened over the past 24 hours in Western New York that might have people in awe.

According to Mike Doyle, meteorologist at WIVB in Buffalo, there were spectacular "light pillars," which appear like huge lights in the sky.

They almost look like something straight out of a movie.

These are caused when ice crystals are suspended into the atmosphere, which then reflect the light from below.

That photo is from Grand Island, but Doyle also took a video from the southtowns (suburbs south of Buffalo, NY) and you can faintly see the light pillars in the distance.

I have never seen these light pillars in person, but I know people on Facebook always post them and ask "what are they?"

Now, we know what they are and what causes them. It's cool how something as simple as ice crystals can cause this amazingly cool weather phenomenon.

Did anyone else get a photo or video of these light pillars?

KEEP READING: Get answers to 51 of the most frequently asked weather questions...

LOOK: Here are the best small towns to live in across America

KEEP READING: See the richest person in every state

More From KISS 104.1