Photos: Extreme cold transforms Niagara Falls into majestic frozen sight earlier than normal
Icy temperatures at Niagara Falls have turned the mist from the cascading waterfalls into frozen works of art on the surrounding rocks and railings.
The frigid temperatures may not be deterring tourists from visiting the iconic Niagara Falls this week. Snow, ice and bitter conditions have turned the falls into a breathtaking "winter wonderland."
The Niagara Falls State Park promotes tourism in the winter deeming the majestic wonder to be "more magical."
The start to this winter has been particularly cold at the Niagara Falls. After the first two days of January, the temperature departure in Niagara Falls is 13.1 degrees Fahrenheit below normal, according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Evan Duffey.
"December 2017 was the coldest in Niagara Falls since December 2000," Duffey said. "This December was 3.3 degrees Fahrenheit below normal, and December 2000 was 8.5 degrees Fahrenheit below normal."
There have been a few record lows set this December and January in the region. The record low temperatures were set on Dec. 15 at 4, on Dec. 31 at 1, and on Jan. 1 at minus 2.
"Niagara Falls has been at least below freezing every night since Dec. 20. Temperatures have not been above freeing at any point since Dec. 25," Duffey said.
The U.S. side of Niagara Falls has begun to thaw after being partially frozen from the "polar vortex" that affected millions in the U.S. and Canada, on Jan. 10, 2014. Despite the urban legends, Niagara Falls doesn't freeze solid in the winter, tourism officials say. (AP Photo/Nick LoVerde)
There are many urban legends that the falls freeze solid in the winter, according to tourist officials.
However, the only time that Niagara Falls froze over entirely was in 1848, when an ice jam above the falls slowed water to a trickle and allowed it to freeze.
"The falls have more frequently iced over significantly but still allowed a flow of plenty of water many times in history during colder winters and is not overly rare," Duffey said.
While it is not abnormal for Niagara Falls to turn into an icy landscape in freezing temperatures, it is rare for the falls to ice over this early in the season. Typically, these conditions exist in late January and into February.
Temperatures will continue to be below freezing until at least Monday afternoon. It will be as cold as minus 5 on Friday night.
"There will be a good deal of ice development over the rest of the week, and by this weekend, there could be a pretty significant amount," Duffey said.
The water entering the Niagara River from Lake Erie is currently 32, so it is likely that it will ice over.
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