Niagara Falls Partially Freezes over from Bitter Cold

The legendary Niagara Falls, a group of three waterfalls located 17 miles from Buffalo, New York that has the highest flow rate among all waterfalls in North America, partially frozen on Tuesday.

The winter storm that decimated upper New Yorkers was 25 miles south-east of Niagara Falls. There, 3,160 tonnes of water flow over each second.

WATCH: #BNNCanada Reports.

Niagara Falls has been transformed into a winter wonderland due to recent sub-zero temperatures. #NiagaraFalls #Canada #Environment pic.twitter.com/RPSFXkoflH

— Gurbaksh Singh Chahal (@gchahal) December 28, 2022

The temperature drops in the US and Niagara Falls partially freezeshttps://t.co/q61IhULH0I

📽️: Lokman Vural Elibol pic.twitter.com/0caMHHuzT1

— Anadolu Images (@anadoluimages) December 28, 2022

US is so frigid that Niagara Falls is almost completely frozen https://t.co/SelE9X9HQB

— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) December 28, 2022

Falls are never fully frozen. However, mist and spray can build a crust of ice that covers the water. This gives the illusion that water has stopped flowing but it is still flowing beneath the ice.

Before steel ice-booms were erected At the Falls, across the Niagara River’s mouth, where it meets Lake Erie decades ago, ice could block water flowing upstream to the Niagara River. This led to the American side of Niagara Falls freezing over.

The original ice boom was made up of 30ft (9.1m), floating timbers that were connected by steel cables. The modern ice boom, which consists of 22 span cables connected by steel cables, was built in 1997. It has boom spans of 11 hollow-steel surface floating pontoons.

An ice bridge is possible form across the river below the Falls in freezing temperatures; until 1912, people would sometimes stay on the bridge —which spanned from Canada to the Unites States over the Niagara River — to sell souvenirs or look up at the Falls.

However, the date of February 4, 1912 was set. three people on the bridge died When the ice split and pushed them into Niagara River. Eldridge Stanton (32), and Clara Stanton (38), were among the 35 people standing on the ice bridge. Burrell Hecock, 17 years old, was throwing snowballs along with a friend.

The ice bridge broke apart. Hecock began running towards the Canadian shore while the Stantons raced for the American shore. When the ice split, the Stantons were only inches away from the shore. They were left on the ice with water between them. They ran toward the Canadian shore and turned around.

Clara Stanton fell. Hecock ran back to her and turned around. The Stantons and Hecock found themselves on the ice sheet, with Hecock’s arm wrapped around his wife’s waist.

The ice sheet broke, leaving Hecock and the Stantons on one side and the Stantons on the other. Despite rescuers hanging ropes from the bridges, they drowned. Hecock actually grabbed a rope and was hoisted 60 feet above the water before he lost his grip and plunged into the icy water; Stanton tried twice to tie a rope around his wife’s waist but then realized it was futile, ultimately holding her close and kissing her as they knelt down with his arms around her and they were plunged into the rapids.

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases