The record-breaking chill across the U.S. and Canada was so frigid it literally stopped Niagara Falls in its tracks.

A collection of spectacular photographs have shown the moment the U.S. side of the famous falls froze before they could reach the bottom.

Thankfully, the freezing air and ‘polar vortex’ that turned the cascading water to ice – and affected about 240 million people in the U.S. and southern Canada – will depart during the second half of this week, and a far-reaching January thaw will begin, according to AccuWeather.com.

Tuesday was a day of record-setting cold in Niagara, with the mercury bottoming out at a chilling -2F. Combined with the wind chills, it felt like -20F.

One would think the icy cold would keep tourists away, but those who enjoy taking photos rugged up to snap the conditions, producing exceptional images they wouldn’t otherwise have an opportunity to capture.

The natural wonder should be looking more like itself come Saturday when temperatures are forecast to be in the 50s, according to Environment Canada.

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