Photos of Niagara Falls surrounded by ice will make you cold just looking at them

If you live in North America, there is a good chance that you have been feeling a bit chilly lately. Ninety percent of the United States rang in 2018 at below freezing temps. Wind chill advisories have covered Canada down to Texas and over to Maine. Countless records have been broken for low temperatures, as well. The effects of the cold weather have been evident far and wide, but perhaps none are quite as striking as “frozen” Niagara Falls.

Comprised of three waterfalls — the American Falls, the Bridal Veil Falls and the Horseshoe Falls — stretching from Canada to the U.S., 3,160 tons of water flow over Niagara Falls every second. Thanks to the frigid weather, the powerful system seems to be at a standstill. Although the Niagara River and imposing waterfalls are still running, the rocks, trees, railings and everything else surrounding this natural wonder are frozen solid. The resulting views are magical, and people everywhere are sharing pictures to prove it.

https://twitter.com/1EmmaV/status/946847509812350976

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bdc40BjlGSH/

Although the plunging mercury is causing so much ice that it might look as though the falls have frozen over, water continues to flow even behind it all. It is not all that uncommon for parts of the falls to ice over in the cold winter weather.

According to CNN, Niagara Falls has never completely frozen over on either the Canadian side or the U.S. side. An ice jam upriver way back in 1848 was the only time in recorded history that the falls completely ceased to flow.

In the 19th century, winter visitors to the falls would use natural ice bridges to cross the entire Niagara River from Canada to the U.S. However, three people died in 1912 when the ice bridge broke apart. Since that time, walking on the ice has been forbidden.

And we’re totally fine with that — it’s so beautiful to look at!

[H/t: BuzzFeed]