For some time now i have had this old, or possibly photo shopped picture and never knew what to write about it, except "look at those witless people trying to stand on Niagara Falls!" All the while thinking how much i would like to try that.
An arctic blast tore thru Buffalo N.y. leaving more than 37 people dead.
The Falls Stopped Flowing in 1848
This past weekend at about midnight on March 29, 1848; Niagara residents accustomed to the flow of the river were awakened when the Niagara River ceased to flow. The reason-a strong south-west gale had pushed the ice fields in Lake Erie in motion. Millions of tons of ice became lodged at the source of the mouth of the Niagara River, blocking the channel completely stopping the flow of water over the American and Canadian Horseshoe Falls. The self-made dam held the water for approximately thirty hours until the wind shifted and the pent-up weight of the water broke through to its accustomed route. Niagarans went back to sleep.
Also the American Falls was stopped flowing intentionally from June 1969 until November 1969,when the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers coffer-dammed the Falls to study what actions, if any should be taken to remove the rock debris at the base. It was decided to let nature take its course and to do nothing about the rock renewal.
1911 : the year Niagara froze
A while ago I wrote a post about what I believe the most spectacular waterfalls in the world are, but you guys gave me some excellent feedback and I fould out about more amazing waterfalls, so thanks a whole lot!!
I’ve kept researching waterfalls and I found something that really
totally took me by surprise: Niagara froze – totally!! It happened a
long time ago in 1911 and as a result, the quality of the photos isn’t
amazing, but the photos themselves are.
The first thing I asked myself when I came across this set was “can Niagara actually
freeze??” As it turns out, the answer is yes. What happens is during a
very harsh winter a crust of ice accumulates along the fall creating
this amazing natural landscape.
You have to keep in mind that it doesn’t actually freeze solid, but the ice thickness went up to 50 feet (almost 17 meters).
The blanket of ice has been known to spread along the whole Niagara
river and people used to cross it until 1912, when there was a tragic
accident when the ice broke. Also, I have found no irrefutable
evidence that this event took place in 1911, so maybe there’s other
similarly awesome photos – if you have, or stumble upon such pictures,
please be so kind as to share them with us.
Spectacular photos show Niagara Falls partially frozen after winter storm
/ CBS News
Niagara Falls has turned into a dazzling winter spectacle after a powerful storm left it partially frozen. Pictures taken following the deadly storm show the iconic waterfalls filled with ice and snow.
An aerial view showed ice creeping in around portions of the falls' base after what some called the "blizzard of the century" hit Western New York over the weekend. But the water appeared to move without any issues — 3,160 tons of it flow over the falls every second and it drops at a speed of 32 feet per second, according to Niagara Falls State Park.
Despite the bone-chilling temperatures, tourists still flocked to Niagara Falls to catch a glimpse of the natural wonder.
A rainbow also appeared over the popular site as mist from the falls rose.
Another photo showed the Niagara River going over the falls. Water from the river eventually ends up in Lake Ontario.
Niagara Falls wasn't the only sight that turned into an icy spectacle following the recent blizzard and low temps. Videos showed a restaurant in Hamburg, New York, covered in icicles and a lighthouse in Michigan was turned into an ice sculpture.
In Erie County, New York — where Niagara Falls is partially located — 51.9 inches of snow were recorded after this weekend's winter blast. At least 60 people have died across eight states because of the storm, according to a CBS News count.
In a Wednesday briefing, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said the Erie County Department of Health confirmed the death toll in the county had risen to 34, the majority of them in Buffalo. That number surpasses the most commonly reported death toll of 29 from the Blizzard of '77, widely known as Buffalo's worst storm of all time until this one, CBS affiliate WIVB-TV reported.
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- Niagara Falls
Christopher Brito is a social media producer and trending writer for CBS News, focusing on sports and stories that involve issues of race and culture.
Thanks for reading CBS NEWS.
