Typhoon Winds Made a Chinese Waterfall Flow Upward, and Science Explains Why

Typhoon Bavi's powerful winds sent water at China's Dalongqiu waterfall flying upward instead of falling, and the same reverse waterfall effect has been seen in Maharashtra, India and at Niagara Falls in the United States.

Gravity is supposed to be the one rule water never breaks, yet a waterfall in China's Zhejiang province just appeared to defy it entirely. Instead of crashing downward, the water at the Dalongqiu waterfall was caught mid-air and hurled back upward, turning the cascade into what is known as a reverse waterfall. Videos of the moment have been spreading rapidly across social media, leaving viewers stunned at how water could seemingly flow uphill. The phenomenon is not some trick of the eye or a one-off freak accident, it is a genuine natural event, and similar sights have been recorded in Maharashtra, India, and at Niagara Falls in the United States.

How Typhoon Bavi flipped the direction of a 190-metre waterfall
On July 11, Typhoon Bavi tore through Wenzhou city in China, bringing extremely powerful winds with it and disrupting normal life across the region. Those winds struck the Dalongqiu waterfall, which stands roughly 190 metres, or 623 feet, tall, at exactly the wrong moment. As the water began its usual plunge from that height, the storm's gusts caught it mid-fall and threw it straight back into the air. The result looked almost like a swirling vortex, with water refusing to touch the ground and instead spiralling upward into the sky. People who witnessed it filmed the scene on their phones, describing it as something out of a science fiction movie. China's state broadcaster CCTV Plus also shared footage of the moment on July 13, 2026, describing it as a swirling reverse waterfall triggered by the strong winds of Typhoon Bavi in Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province, and calling it a rare spectacle. Experts who examined the footage said the entire effect came down to intense atmospheric pressure generated by the storm. The clip has since drawn widespread attention online, with viewers replaying the exact instant the water changes direction because it looks like it defies everyday physics.

 

India sees the same trick of nature every monsoon
China's upside-down waterfall is far from an isolated case. India witnesses a similar spectacle every year during the monsoon season, and the best-known example is Naneghat, an ancient mountain pass in Maharashtra's Western Ghats. Sitting at an altitude of about 2600 feet above sea level, Naneghat gets battered by extremely strong winds between June and August. When a waterfall there begins to drop from that height, the air pressure builds up so much that the water is pushed back upward instead of completing its fall. Watching it unfold gives the impression that the water is openly defying gravity, and it is precisely this spectacle that turns Naneghat into one of India's most popular monsoon tourist destinations. A similar visual from Amboli in Maharashtra was also shared on social media on July 12, 2026 by a user named Naveen Mailake, showing another instance of a reverse waterfall captured on camera, reinforcing just how common this trick of nature becomes once the monsoon winds pick up.

Niagara Falls and other examples from around the world
Niagara Falls in the United States, one of the most powerful waterfalls on the planet, shows the same forces at work. The sheer volume of falling water combined with unpredictable wind pressure occasionally creates conditions that mimic a reverse waterfall there as well. Whenever wind speed outpaces the speed at which water is falling, that wind ends up pushing the water upward rather than letting it drop straight down. Scientists across the world continue to study this interaction between water and wind because it produces such dramatic and counterintuitive visuals. On July 14, 2026, an account called Kurdistan 24 English shared a video from Niagara Falls showing a man floating calmly on his back even as massive waves crashed around him, as though nothing unusual were happening. The clip underlined just how immense the raw force of the water at Niagara truly is, making such scenes look almost unbelievable to anyone watching.

Scientists call it aerodynamics, not a miracle
In scientific terms, a reverse waterfall is not treated as a miracle at all, it is simply aerodynamics and air pressure at work. When strong winds are forced through a narrow gap between mountains, their speed multiplies several times over. If a waterfall happens to sit in that exact path, the accelerated wind stops the falling water from continuing downward. That breaks up the water's stream, and it begins to rise like a fountain instead of dropping. Put simply, whenever wind speed exceeds the natural speed at which water falls, the wind pushes that water upward rather than letting gravity pull it down. Even with the science fully understood, sights like these continue to leave onlookers amazed at how differently nature can behave once the right conditions line up.

 

What this means for you
• For monsoon travellers: Anyone planning a trip to Naneghat or the Western Ghats in Maharashtra during the rainy season should be cautious of the extremely strong winds and sudden weather changes seen in that region.
• For nature and science enthusiasts: The event shows how storm-force winds can turn a calm-looking waterfall dangerous within minutes, so visiting such spots during storm or heavy rain warnings is best avoided.

Questions & Answers

1. What is a reverse waterfall?
It is a phenomenon where, instead of falling to the ground, a waterfall's water is pushed back upward by intense wind pressure.

2. Which waterfall in China showed this effect?
The Dalongqiu waterfall in Wenzhou city, Zhejiang province, China, showed the effect, and it stands roughly 190 metres or 623 feet tall.

3. When did this happen?
It happened on July 11, when Typhoon Bavi caused heavy destruction in Wenzhou city.

4. Where can a similar sight be seen in India?
Naneghat in Maharashtra's Western Ghats shows this effect during the monsoon between June and August, and a similar image also emerged from Amboli.

5. Does Niagara Falls show a reverse waterfall effect too?
Yes, when wind speed exceeds the force of the falling water, a similar illusion appears at Niagara Falls as well.

6. What do scientists say about this phenomenon?
Scientists say it is not a miracle but purely aerodynamics and intense air pressure, which builds up when strong winds are forced through narrow gaps.

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