En las cataratas del Niágara, la ola de frío polar que azota parte de Estados Unidos puede verse además de sentirse.
La fina lluvia que se desprende de las caídas de agua se congeló de inmediato sobre todo lo que toca, tiñendo árboles, sendas peatonales, acantilados y miradores de un blanco radiante. La recompensa para los visitantes que consiguen hacer frente a las gélidas temperaturas son las fotografías y selfies en un paraíso invernal.
“Es espectacular. Aunque haga frío, es una atracción durante todo el año”, dijo Paul Tabaczynski, natural de Buffalo y residente en Texas, durante una visita el martes.
Aunque todo alrededor a su alrededor está helado, el agua sigue fluyendo y creando una fina llovizna en las tres cascadas que conforman la turística frontera natural entre Estados Unidos y Canadá. El viento del oeste suele soplar hacia el lado estadounidense, explicó el meteorólogo del Servicio Meteorológico Nacional Steven Welch, donde la humedad viste cada centímetro del paisaje de blanco.
“¡No siento los pies!”, dijo Keila Cruz, de 12 años, a su padre, Jonathan, mientras ella y una docena de familiares entraban al centro de visitantes del parque nacional durante un viaje desde Deltona, en Florida.
“Todavía no hemos salido”, señaló Jonathan Cruz. La familia había caminado apenas 200 metros desde un estacionamiento cercano, pero con temperaturas bajo cero y rachas de viento de cerca de 65 kilómetros por hora, el grupo necesitó entrar en calor antes de aventurarse hacia las cascadas.
“Estamos intentando calentarnos los pies porque estamos helados”, apuntó Jonathan Cruz.
La ola de frío que recorre desde el sur de Texas a Canadá y de Montana a Nueva Inglaterra generó escenas surrealistas en buena parte del país. Dejó fuentes congeladas en Texarkana, Arkansas, en el Parque Bryant de la ciudad de Nueva York e incluso en Savannah, Georgia, donde la temperatura máxima media en enero es de 16 grados pero el termómetro marcaba 1 grado bajo cero el martes.
Trozos de hielo flotaban en el Río Mississippi y las olas del Lago Michigan formaron “bolas de hielo”. Hasta el lunes, el 19,7% de los Grandes Lagos estaban cubiertos de hielo, según la Oficina Nacional de Administración Oceánica y Atmosférica de Estados Unidos.
Tourists look at a nearly frozen Niagara Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario on January 3, 2018. The cold snap which has gripped much of Canada and the United States has nearly frozen over the American side of the falls. / AFP PHOTO / Geoff RobinsTourists take photos of the nearly frozen American side of Niagara Falls from Niagara Falls, Ontario on January 3, 2018. The cold snap which has gripped much of Canada and the United States has nearly frozen over the American side of the falls. / AFP PHOTO / Geoff RobinsTourists take photos of the Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario on January 3, 2018. The cold snap which has gripped much of Canada and the United States has nearly frozen over the American side of the falls. / AFP PHOTO / Geoff RobinsTourists in Niagara Falls, New York, walk near the nearly frozen American side of Niagara Falls, January 3, 2018. The cold snap which has gripped much of Canada and the United States has nearly frozen over the American side of the falls. / AFP PHOTO / Geoff RobinsTourists take photos of the Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario on January 3, 2018. The cold snap which has gripped much of Canada and the United States has nearly frozen over the American side of the falls. / AFP PHOTO / Geoff RobinsA tourist takes photos of the Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario on January 3, 2018. The cold snap which has gripped much of Canada and the United States has nearly frozen over the American side of the falls. / AFP PHOTO / Geoff RobinsTourists take photos of the Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario on January 3, 2018. The cold snap which has gripped much of Canada and the United States has nearly frozen over the American side of the falls. / AFP PHOTO / Geoff RobinsTourists take photos of the Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario on January 3, 2018. The cold snap which has gripped much of Canada and the United States has nearly frozen over the American side of the falls. / AFP PHOTO / Geoff RobinsJonathan Czitkovics and his wife Yvonne Chen take wedding photos in Niagara Falls, Ontario on January 3, 2018. The couple were married this summer in Thailand where they live but wanted to do some wedding photos in Canada, since Jonathan is from Montreal. The cold snap which has gripped much of Canada and the United States has nearly frozen over the American side of the falls. / AFP PHOTO / Geoff RobinsTourists take photos of the Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario on January 3, 2018. The cold snap which has gripped much of Canada and the United States has nearly frozen over the American side of the falls. / AFP PHOTO / Geoff RobinsTourists take photos of the Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario on January 3, 2018. The cold snap which has gripped much of Canada and the United States has nearly frozen over the American side of the falls. / AFP PHOTO / Geoff RobinsTourists gather along the frozen railings near the Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario on January 3, 2018. The cold snap which has gripped much of Canada and the United States has nearly frozen over the American side of the falls. / AFP PHOTO / Geoff RobinsIce hangs from the top of the American side of Niagara Falls on January 3, 2018. The cold snap which has gripped much of Canada and the United States has nearly frozen over the American side of the falls. / AFP PHOTO / Geoff RobinsTourists take photos of the Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario on January 3, 2018. The cold snap which has gripped much of Canada and the United States has nearly frozen over the American side of the falls. / AFP PHOTO / Geoff RobinsTourists look out past the frozen railings at the Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario on January 3, 2018. The cold snap which has gripped much of Canada and the United States has nearly frozen over the American side of the falls. / AFP PHOTO / Geoff RobinsA tourist takes photos of the Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario on January 3, 2018. The cold snap which has gripped much of Canada and the United States has nearly frozen over the American side of the falls. / AFP PHOTO / Geoff RobinsIce hangs from the top of the American side of Niagara Falls on January 3, 2018. The cold snap which has gripped much of Canada and the United States has nearly frozen over the American side of the falls. / AFP PHOTO / Geoff RobinsIce coats the rocks and observation deck at the base of the Horseshoe falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario on January 3, 2018. The cold snap which has gripped much of Canada and the United States has nearly frozen over the American side of the falls. / AFP PHOTO / Geoff RobinsIce hangs from the top of the American side of Niagara Falls on January 3, 2018 in New York. The cold snap which has gripped much of Canada and the United States has nearly frozen over the American side of the falls. / AFP PHOTO / Geoff RobinsVisitors take pictures near the brink of the ice covered Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, January 3, 2018. REUTERS/Aaron LynettVisitors walk near the brink of the ice covered Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, January 2, 2018. REUTERS/Aaron LynettVisitors take pictures near the brink of the ice covered Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, January 3, 2018. REUTERS/Aaron LynettA building covered in ice sits at the base of the Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, January 2, 2018. REUTERS/Aaron LynettVisitors take pictures near the brink of the ice covered Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, January 3, 2018. REUTERS/Aaron LynettA lone visitor takes a picture near the brink of the ice covered Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, January 3, 2018. REUTERS/Aaron LynettA building covered in ice sits at the base of the Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, January 2, 2018. REUTERS/Aaron LynettIce and water flow over the American Falls, viewed from the Canadian side in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, January 2, 2018. REUTERS/Aaron LynettIce and water flow over the Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, January 3, 2018. REUTERS/Aaron LynettA lone visitor on the United States side of the Niagara River watches as ice chunks and water flow over the brink of the Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, January 3, 2018. REUTERS/Aaron LynettIce and water flow over the American Falls, viewed from the Canadian side in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, January 3, 2018. REUTERS/Aaron LynettA visitor takes pictures near the brink of the ice covered Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, January 3, 2018. REUTERS/Aaron LynettA visitor takes pictures near the brink of the ice covered Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, January 3, 2018. REUTERS/Aaron LynettA lone visitor takes a picture near the brink of the ice covered Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, January 3, 2018. REUTERS/Aaron LynettA visitor takes pictures near the brink of the ice covered Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, January 3, 2018. REUTERS/Aaron LynettIce and snow cover branches near the brink of the Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, January 3, 2018. REUTERS/Aaron LynettA building covered in ice sits at the base of the Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, January 2, 2018. REUTERS/Aaron Lynett TPX IMAGES OF THE DAYVisitors watch the ice covered Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, January 3, 2018. REUTERS/Aaron LynettVisitors take pictures near the brink of the ice covered Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, January 3, 2018. REUTERS/Aaron LynettIce begins to collect at the base of the Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, January 3, 2018. REUTERS/Aaron LynettA group of birds fly past ice and water flowing over the American Falls, viewed from the Canadian side in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, January 3, 2018. REUTERS/Aaron LynettIce and water flow over the American Falls, viewed from the Canadian side in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, January 3, 2018. REUTERS/Aaron LynettVisitors take pictures near the brink of the ice covered Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, January 3, 2018. REUTERS/Aaron LynettSnow flurries fall near the American Falls, viewed from the Canadian side in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, January 3, 2018. REUTERS/Aaron LynettWater flows over ice forming at the base of the American Falls, viewed from the Canadian side in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, January 3, 2018. REUTERS/Aaron LynettWater flows over the Niagara Falls viewed from the Canadian side, Ontario, Canada January 2, 2018 in this picture obtained from social media. COURTESY of THOMAS BVRD /via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVESWater flows over the Niagara Falls, New York, U.S., in this still image taken from a video from January 3, 2018. COURTESY of NISAT SHIMA /via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVESWater flows over the Niagara Falls, New York, U.S., in this still image taken from a video from January 3, 2018. COURTESY of NISAT SHIMA /via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVESIce begins to collect at the base of the Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, January 3, 2018. REUTERS/Aaron Lynett TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
