Aurora Starchild
Niagara Falls has always stunned visitors as a majestic yet monstrously huge natural wonder of the world. It sits on the border of New York, United States and Ontario, Canada, bringing people of both countries together watch the massive display of water displacement. But every now and then, when it gets cold enough, visitors are treated to a whole new treat. See Niagara Falls transform into a frozen winter wonderland thanks to the recent arctic storm.
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Niagara Falls Transformed Into a Real Winter Wonderland
Niagara on the US side is called American Falls, while the Canadian side is called Horseshoe Falls. Both are 180 feet high and together Niagara Falls covers about 82 square miles of land. It drops about 6 million cubic feet of water per minute, over its edge alone. Despite how much water travels over the falls, there is so much extra that it’s redirected at the top in order to power some of New York and Southern Ontario via hydroelectric plants.
The blizzard that shut down the east coast and killed dozens also turned Niagara into a place of rare beauty. Snow-covered trees blanketed the top of the falls in white. Massive chunks of snow and ice greeted the relentless smackdown of water as it reached the bottom of its descent. Much of the ice at the bottom actually formed there despite the movement of the water.
People flocked to Niagara Falls in recent days to catch them before they thaw again. They didn’t seem to mind the subfreezing temperatures or the freezing mist, which has the potential to make a cold scenario feel much colder. Even the tower viewers were frozen over — there wouldn’t be anyone using them in this weather
In 2015, 47-year-old Canadian ice climber Will Gadd defied all odds and scaled a portion of Niagara Falls after it completely froze solid. Meanwhile, running water continued to plummet less than 10 feet over to his right.
