A chain link fence is coated with ice at mount hamilton cemetery in hamilton on dec. It caused massive damage to trees and electrical infrastructure all over the area, leading to widespread longterm power outages. The audubon society field guide to north american weather. Event overview a catastrophic ice storm and flood event struck northern new england and northern new york during the first two weeks of january 1998. It was the most devastating and least ferocious of canadian disasters it was the most devastating and least ferocious of canadian disasters copy link. The pressrepublican published that poem in its 1998 book about the ice storm, and kautz still has the photo from the book framed on a wall of his morrisonville home. As a result, we promote safe and efficient maritime operations and we help protect canada s environment. Environment canada has lifted all weather watches and warnings for southwestern ontario after the rare april ice storm that pummelled the region over the weekend. For example, a 1998 ice storm in the northeastern united states and canada damaged large. January 1998 north american ice storm news newspapers books. Winter storms in which the temperature falls below 0c commonly. The north american ice storm of 1998 was a massive combination of five smaller successive ice storms in january 1998 that struck a relatively narrow swath of land from eastern ontario to southern quebec, new brunswick and nova scotia in canada, and bordering areas from northern new york to central maine in the united states.
Canadian energy sector about the seriousness of climate change impacts. Impacts and consequences of the ice storm of 1998 for the. The north american ice storm of 1998 was a massive combination of five smaller successive. The ice storm led to the largest deployment of canadian military personnel. This book is the definitive story of the ice storm, captured in pictures by canada. In canada severe ice storms have been recorded in ottawa in december 1986 and in montreal in february 1961 environment canada 1998. Environment canada weather channel april 20, 1998 youtube. The storm claimed as many as 35 lives, injured 945, and resulted in the temporary displacement of 600,000 people. During the ice storm of 1998, power transmission and distribution suffered a total. Many shrubs and herbs are adapted to lowlight environments or grow before canopy leaf. The january, 1998 ice storm took people by surprise, an unremarkable weather front that turned lethal when it stalled over the border country of northern new york and southeastern canada, dropping.
The ice storm of 1998 was the worst ice storm in canadian history. Canadian ice storm of 1998 for six days in january 1998, freezing rain coated ontario, quebec and new brunswick with 711 cm 34 in of ice. January 10, 1998, freezing rain fell on eastern ontario, southwestern. Trees and hydro wires fell and utility poles and transmission towers came down causing massive power outages, some for as long as a month. The storm killed 35 canadians, making it one of the worst natural disasters in canadian history. London crews tapped to reconnect stormbattered hydro one. At the canadian ice service cis, our mission is to provide the most timely and accurate information about ice in canada s navigable waters. Ice storm 98 was the most extreme freezing rain event ever recorded in recent history, and it showed. Although accounts vary, public safety canadas disaster database says 35 canadians were killed as a result of the storm. Lawrence valley from kingston to quebecs eastern townships received up to 100 mm of ice pellets and freezing rain more than double the icy precipitation normally received in those areas in a whole year. It was the most expensive natural disaster in canada.
David etkin is a meteorologist in the atmospheric environment service of environment canada. Quebec turned into a crystal wonderland when freezing rain turned to ice, but that ice took down trees and power lines, depriving millions of electricity. Ice storms are an inherent feature of winter weather. January 5, 2008 today marks the 10th year anniversary of the 1998 ice storm that devastated parts of northern new england, northern new york and especially southeast canada from january 5th through january 9th, 1998. This is possibily the most watched channel in winnipeg, as it was shown in 1998. It was the most costly natural disaster in canada ever and environmental. Why the freeze was so fierce open this photo in gallery. Ice storm of 1998 in ontario, quebec, and new brunswick. The ice storm of 1998 was one of the largest natural disasters in canadian history. Heavy rain associated with a warm moist airmass overspread a shallow but dense layer of cold air producing ice accumulations in excess of three inches. On the precipitation and related features of the 1998 ice storm in the montreal area.
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