Feb. 20--In an unusual and spectacular display of nature, Niagara Falls has partially frozen over, drawing crowds of onlookers to take in the otherworldly wintertime scene of water gushing beneath huge formations of ice and snow.
The falls began to freeze about a week ago, when temperatures in the region dropped well below freezing, said Michelle Blackley, communications and community relations manager for the Niagara Tourism and Convention Corp., the tourism promotion company for Niagara, N.Y.
The freezing of the falls is an uncommon occurrence.
Last year, the falls partially froze over during a lengthy stay of a "polar vortex." Blackley said there are photos dating back to the 1800s that show the icy falls.
Because of the media attention and photos on social media, Blackley said, crowds are braving frigid temperatures to view the anomaly.
"Just two years ago, we had a very mild winter, so we didn't get to see this dramatic beauty," she said. "This time of year, we should see the weather warming up, and this morning, it was minus 10 degrees."
Blackley said she has walked out close to the falls since they have been frozen.
"Some of the water was coming over, and there were these huge chunks of snow and ice," she said. "It was really beautiful. It was breathtaking."
