In a tweet, ECCC Canada said the water looked "chocolate," but you wouldn't want to drink the water roaring down the falls. The temporary makeover was due to winds up to 110 km/h sweeping over Lake Erie for two days prior, coupled with harsh, 9-metre waves that churned debris.

In late 2025 and early 2026, visitors observed Niagara Falls taking on a brownish hue, which is a natural phenomenon caused by extreme weather and sediment displacement. When heavy winter storms or "Arctic blasts" hit the Great Lakes region, strong winds stir up the shallow bottom of Lake Erie (the source of the Niagara River). This agitation kicks up silt, clay, and decaying organic matter from the lakebed, which is then carried downstream and over the falls. While it might look unappealing, the brown color is temporary and not a sign of pollution; it is simply the river's way of "rearranging" its natural sediment. Additionally, during Christmas cold snaps, the mist often freezes into brown-tinted "ice bridges" and miniature glaciers, creating a dramatic, if somewhat earthy, winter landscape that contrasts with the usual pristine blue-green of the rushing water.