Niagara Falls becomes 'icy spectacle' as frigid temperatures bring breathtaking views

Recent Niagara Falls visitors have been in awe of the popular tourist destination — but not for its roaring waterfalls.
Rather, many tourists have taken to social media to share stunning photos of a layer of ice that has formed over parts of the falls, giving the illusion that some sections, which can reach heights of 176 feet, are frozen solid.
Frigid temperatures in the Northeast over the weekend caused the falls to become an “icy spectacle,” The Buffalo News reported, disputing reports that stated the attraction was indeed entirely frozen.
"Something moving as fast as the falls is extremely difficult to freeze," Stuart M. Evans, an assistant professor in the Department of Geography at the University at Buffalo, explained to



the publication.
The “surface water and mist in the air turns to ice, but there is still plenty of water flowing,” according to Niagara Falls USA, which noted the phenomena occurs to some degree every winter.
“The volume of water that makes up Niagara Falls combined with the constant movement of the river makes a total freeze nearly impossible,” the site continues, echoing Evans.

Extremely cold temperatures can cause certain areas of the falls to have a buildup of ice that can reach more than 40 feet in thickness, as water can freeze as it goes over the falls, according to Niagara Falls USA.
That said, “if you look carefully though you’ll see that sections of the falls are still flowing like usual,” the site notes.