Niagara falls FROZEN!: Snowstorm turns waterfall partly frozen and completely brown, see pics and weather

After the "blizzard of the century" sweeps through the US and bring the states to a standstill, it also managed to freeze the giant Niagara falls. Several images and videos on social media have surfaced describing fearsome conditions, particularly in Buffalo, where bodies were discovered in vehicles and under snow banks.

A video that went viral on social media showed the group of falls transformed into a frozen wonderland as a result of the region's recent wave of sub-zero temperatures. While parts of the falls were frozen, according to The New York Post, the sheer volume of water that gushes over, combined with the constant movement of the raging liquid, ensures that they almost never completely freeze.

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"During particularly cold temperatures, the mist and spray begin to form a crust of ice on top of the rushing water, making it appear as though the Falls have in fact stopped. However, the water continues to flow underneath the sheets of ice", the Niagara Parks website said.

According to the Niagara Falls New York State Park, around 3,160 tonnes of water flow every second at a rate of 32 feet per second.

Ice could obstruct the flow of water further upstream prior to 1964, causing the volume of water on the US side of the Falls to freeze. This occurred five times prior to the installation of steel ice booms to prevent large ice accumulations.

During cold winters, ice bridges frequently form across the Niagara River at the base of the falls. People were prohibited from walking on the bridges after three people were killed in 1912 when the ice broke loose and chucked them into the Niagara River.

Over the Christmas weekend, western New York was crippled by a ruthless storm termed the "blizzard of the century" by authorities. The severe weather that engulfed the United States for several days caused widespread power outages, travel delays, and the deaths of several people.

What is the weather of Niagara falls now?

Impressive ice formations have accumulated under Niagara Falls after a huge system of Arctic air moved across the area. The current temperature at Niagara falls is 5 degrees with 58 per cent humidity, the temperature is expected to get better, according to the meteorology department.

The extreme cold conditions have been caused by a phenomenon called a "bomb cyclone" that has caused over 30 deaths and left more than a million homes without power soon after Christmas.

Did Niagara falls turn brown on Christmas?

On Christmas Eve, Environment and Climate Change Canada Ontario tweeted, "The ongoing storm has turned the waters of the falls chocolate brown", blaming the churning brown waters on "debris being washed down the Niagara River."

The brief statement is accompanied by an aerial view captured from the Sheraton Fallsview Hotel's live webcam, which shows a torrent of muddy brown waters rushing over the falls and into the Lower Niagara River.

This was not a short-term phenomenon, as the brown water persisted for days after the worst of the storm, drawing confused onlookers. Tourists visiting the natural wonder today will still see a murky shade pouring over the Niagara Escarpment, but that's not the only remnant of the big storm still visible several days later.

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