Niagara Falls freezes over as storms continue to engulf US
Water flowing around ice sits at the base of the American Falls due to cold temperatures in Niagara Falls, New York, on 21 February 2021
((Reuters))Parts of Niagara Falls froze over on Monday as brutal winter storms continued to batter areas of the US.
After temperatures fell to -2F (-18C) in Niagara, New York State, last week, tourists gathered to witness the ice which had formed at the top of the famous waterfall over the weekend and on Monday.
Thick chunks of ice were seen floating in the water, as clouds of steam and a rainbow were visible throughout the day.
The images also showed large areas of untouched snow around the banks of the waterfall, as the iconic landmark became its own winter wonderland amid the cold weather.
Although some images made it appear that the falls themselves were frozen solid, the water never stopped flowing despite the freezing conditions.
Ice forms on the waterfall every year, but widespread freezing only occurs after a sustained period of cold temperatures, according to Niagara Falls USA.
Similar photos of large areas of ice on the waterfall were captured in 2014 and 2015 as polar vortex events hit the area.
Alongside many states across the US over the last two weeks, New York has been hit with a high volume of snowfall, with more expected in Niagara over the next couple of days.
The last time Niagara Falls was covered in this much snow was in 2017 when 22 inches fell, engulfing the falls and surrounding areas in ice.
Freezing conditions hit multiple state across the US last week, badly affecting Texas, with President Joe Biden declaring a major disaster in the Lone Star State as millions were without power and clean water amid the unprecedented weather.
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