Niagara Falls freezes, caution for ice age

Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls Reuters

To celebrate the beginning of the New Year 2018, tourists from New York, Canada and nearby cities have decided to visit the famous Niagara Falls. However, they were greeted by a partially frozen waterfall. Though the tourists were not expecting such a 'cold' surprise, their joy was not dampened.

According to The Buffalo News, even though the expected temperature of Niagara Falls will be less than 10 degrees for at least next week, this is not the first time world's largest waterfall froze.

In 1948, due to an ice jam, which is a dam on a river formed by blocks of ice, the waterbody froze for the first time. Later the falls started to get almost iced up in every winter. The average temperature of the falls in January is between 16 and 32 degrees but in 1912, because of the ice at the base of the falls had created a natural ice bridge.

Apart from the mentioned years, the falls also froze in 1885, 1906, 1902, 1932, 1936 and 2014. Even though the feezing of the waterfall is quite common and the nearby residents are used to it, this time the circumstances could be an indication of something big.

Canada and United States witnessed a freezing temperature on this New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. While the global warming is considered as a threat to humankind, meteorologists said that it could not stop the dangerous cold Arctic air to settle over North America. They have also mentioned that 220 million people will be suffering from the freezing weather.

Even the Department of Canadian Heritage said on Friday that they are cancelling New Year's Eve performances by musical acts and DJs due to the warning for extreme cold weather in the region.

On the other hand, a study led by maths professor Valentina Zharkova at Northumbria University might have the answer for the uncanny weather despite global warming. According to the research, a mini ice age could hit the world after 2021, which might help people to understand why US is facing such a dangerous weather.

So if that is the case, then what would the President of US, Donald Trump say in upcoming days?

How will he protect his fellow Americans? Only time will tell.

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This article was first published on January 1, 2018
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