Following the devastating “blizzard of ‘22” that hit New York during the Christmas weekend, the Niagara Falls have partially frozen. This tourist destination has been transformed into a “Winter Wonderland.”
ABOUT THE NIAGARA FALLS
Niagara falls is a group of three waterfalls — American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls and Horseshoe Falls — located on the border of the United States and Canada. The largest of the three, Horseshoe Falls, spans the border whereas the other two are in the US territory. Formed by the Niagara River, these falls are a popular tourist destination. Their beauty has attracted the masses since time immemorial. Besides this, the falls are also a major source of hydroelectric power.
HISTORY OF FREEZING
Complete freezing of the Niagara Falls is certainly not a frequent sight because of the huge volume of water (3160 tons) that flows over the falls every second. The only time the falls were completely frozen was in 1848. Another instance was in 1912 when the American falls had turned into ice.
Although it is common to see the falls icing up in winter, partial freezing has only taken place during certain years. The formation of ice bridges is a fairly regular phenomenon. People were seen to use these bridges to cross the river when proper bridges hadn’t been made yet. But in 1912, the ice bridge began breaking while people were still on it. Three people lost their life in this tragedy.
WINTER WONDERLAND
This year, in 2022, the temperatures have dropped to record-breaking lows, giving rise to weather tragedies like storms and blizzards. But the Niagara Falls has been blessed. The weather has caused the falls to freeze partially and it has now been converted into a movie-like landscape. Tourists are visiting the falls despite such low temperatures to get a look at the breathtaking view. Images and videos of the falls are being widely circulated online. Users have been taking to the Internet to comment on the beauty of this phenomenon.
