 An example of the damage to trees | |
| Type | Extratropical cyclone Ice storm Winter storm |
|---|---|
| Formed | January 4, 1998 |
| Dissipated | January 10, 1998 |
| Maximum snowfall or ice accretion | around 5 inches (130 mm) (freezing rain) |
| Fatalities | Canada: 28[1] United States: 16 (plus 12 in floods in Southern States with same system)[2] |
| Damage | $5–7 billion (2005 US$) |
| Power outages | 4 million at peak |
| Areas affected | Eastern Ontario including Ottawa Southern Quebec including Montreal New Brunswick Nova Scotia Northern New York Vermont New Hampshire Maine (lesser effects in Central New York, western Ontario, and southern New England; rain/flooding in the northern Appalachian Mountains) |
The North American Ice Storm of 1998 (also known as the Great Ice Storm of 1998 or the January Ice Storm) 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. It caused massive damage to trees and electrical infrastructure throughout the area, leading to widespread long-term power outages. Millions were left in the dark for periods varying from days to several weeks, and in some instances, months. It led to 34 fatalities, a shutdown of activities in large cities like Montreal and Ottawa, and an unprecedented effort in reconstruction of the power grid. The ice storm led to the largest deployment of Canadian military personnel since the Korean War, with over 16,000 Canadian Forces personnel deployed, 12,000 in Quebec and 4,000 in Ontario at the height of the crisis.[3][4]: 16
- ^ Lecomte, Eugene L.; Pang, Alan W.; Russell, James W. (1998). La tempête de verglas de 1998 (PDF) (in French). IPSC. p. 37. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
- ^ National Climatic Data Center (April 12, 1999). "Eastern U.S. Flooding and Ice Storm". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on September 22, 2014. Retrieved June 11, 2009..
- ^ "Operation RECUPERATION". Past Operations. Canada Department of National Defense. 2005. Archived from the original on May 29, 2006. Retrieved May 20, 2006.
- ^ Abley, Mark (1998). The ice storm: an historic record in photographs of January 1998. Toronto: M&S. ISBN 978-0-7710-6100-4.