A wave of Arctic air from the polar vortex has turned Niagara Falls into a dramatic winter scene. Thick ice has formed along the cliffs, creating frozen waterfalls that continue to attract tourists, according to USA Today.
Despite its appearance, the falls never fully stop flowing. Ice forms along the river and surrounding rocks, making it look as though the water has frozen solid. Niagara Falls last froze completely in 1848 on both the American and Canadian sides, and again in 1936 on the American side. Today, modern river management systems prevent a full freeze.
The extreme cold at Niagara is part of a broader weather pattern affecting much of the U.S. About 150 million people have experienced unusually cold conditions as a powerful bomb cyclone — a rapidly strengthening storm — moved across the country. The cyclone brought heavy snow, icy roads and dangerous temperatures from the Gulf Coast to New England.
In some states, the storm even turned deadly. Thus, traffic accidents on snow-covered roads resulted in dozens of fatalities in North Carolina. Local officials reported thousands of crashes and warned that black ice would remain a risk as freezing temperatures continued overnight.
The cold weather also disrupted travel nationwide. Thousands of flights were canceled or delayed, particularly at major airports such as Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
