December 2008 Northeastern United States ice storm

December 2008 Northeastern United States ice storm
A tree that fell due to the weight of ice in Troy, New York.
TypeIce storm
Winter storm
FormedDecember 11, 2008
DissipatedDecember 12, 2008
Fatalities5[1]
Damage~$2.5 to 3.7 billion (2008 USD)
Power outages1.7 million
Areas affectedNortheastern United States

The December 2008 Northeastern United States ice storm was a damaging ice storm that took out power for millions of people in the Northeastern United States. The storm was deemed the worst ice storm in a decade for New England[2] and the most severe ice storm in 21 years for Upstate New York.[3] Damage was primarily a result of fallen trees and fallen utility wires and poles, which were coated in a heavy layer of ice. The storm raised heavy controversy over the slow return of power, as at the storm's peak, as many as 1.7 million customers were without power.[4] Days after the storm more than 800,000 customers were still without power.[5] Almost a week after the storm still more than 100,000 customers were without power, affecting the holiday shopping season and crippling the business and transportation of many northeast cities for days.[6]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference deaths was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Worst Ice Storm in a Decade (Video)". The Weather Channel. Retrieved 2008-12-14.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ Gavin, Robert; Jordan Carleo-Evangelist (2008-12-13). "Icy Disaster: Outages stun area; shelters fill". Times Union (Albany). p. A1. Retrieved 2008-12-14. [dead link]
  4. ^ "Storm leaves at least 1 million without power in Northeast". CNN. 2008-12-13. Retrieved 2009-01-02.
  5. ^ "New England shivers without power after ice storm". CNN. 2008-12-14. Retrieved 2009-01-02.
  6. ^ O'Connor, Anahad (2008-12-14). "Hundreds of Thousands Still Without Power". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-01-02.