TORONTO – Mother Nature has been a bit cruel in this month of February, but at least she’s provided some beautiful sights.
The deep freeze that has descended across the province may be hard to take, but for those visiting Ontario’s famed Niagara Falls, braving the cold may be worth it.
The falls haven’t completely frozen over, but the frigid temperatures have created masses of ice.
According to Niagara Parks, more than 168,000 cubic metres of water go over the falls every minute during peak daytime hours.
WATCH: Tourists enjoy the icy Falls.
Have the falls ever completely frozen over? No. That’s because of the flow of water. The immense force and speed (about 0.6 to 0.9 metres per second) at which the water falls over the crest precludes it from freezing.
WATCH: No, the Falls haven’t frozen over. Here’s why.
However, in March 1848, ice jams silenced the falls for 30 hours as the flow of water was blocked. People ventured down below and even found historical artifacts like cannon balls and bayonets from the War of 1812.
In years past, the Falls would build up an ice bridge, which people would walk across. However, in 1912, people were trapped on an ice bridge after it broke up, killing two people. Since then, going out on an ice bridge has been prohibited.
Eventually, the Falls will dry up. Over the last 560 years, it has been receding at about 1 to 1.5 metres per year.
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