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December 30, 2022

Anna Murray 

Niagara Falls has almost entirely transformed into frozen winter wonderland, with a layer of ice covering the falls, due to the severe cold snap in the United States. The water continues to flow underneath the sheets of ice. Despite sub-zero temperatures, the stunning spectacle is attracting people.

The Niagara Region announced a state of emergency on December 24 evening, after blizzard conditions trapped passengers and truck drivers, forced some people to evacuate their Lake Erie residences, and caused power disruptions for approximately 10,000 houses. St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, and Fort Erie are among the 12 municipalities that make up the region. Over two days, the southern area of the region was struck worst by blowing snow, whiteout conditions, and at times zero visibility.

Plunging temperatures throughout the Christmas holiday season converted the waterfalls into a winter wonderland. The blizzard caused widespread disruption across North America and killed at least 39 people in New York. Many of the fatalities occurred in Buffalo, just south of the Niagara Falls. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the storm dumped nearly 1.2 meters (4 feet) of snow on the city, causing serious traffic problems and knocking out power to many homes.