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Great Snowstorm of 1944

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Great Snowstorm of 1944
Category 3 "Major" (RSI/NOAA: 9.504)
TypeBlizzard
Winter storm
FormedDecember 10, 1944
DissipatedDecember 13, 1944
Maximum snowfall
or ice accretion		36.0 inches (91 cm) - recorded at Elkins, Randolf County, in West Virginia
Fatalities87-100 fatalities in United States and 21-24 in Canada
Areas affectedEastern Great Lake States and Provinces of North America

The Great Snowstorm of 1944[a] was a distruptive winter storm that brought high winds and between 12 and 30 inches (30.5 and 91.6 centimetres) of snow to the eastern Great Lakes Region of North America between Sunday, December 10, and Wednesday, December 13, 1944. The areas most affected included northeastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, western and northern New York, southern Ontario and southern Quebec. The snowstorm was caused when two separate storms, one from the west, which had dropped moderate amounts of snow through the Central Great Plains and Midwest of the United States, and another from the southern Atlantic Coast, both moved towards Pennsylvania, causing high snowfall amounts and high winds in the adjacent states and provinces, before both moved easterly through New England and then into the Atlantic Ocean[9][1][10] Other effects of the twin-pronged storm, such as cold temperatures, light snow, high winds, sleet, freezing rain and rain, covered the remainder of the eastern United States and southern central Canada.[11][12]

Including the toll from the western storm, the death toll was between 87 and 100 people in the US and between 21 and 24 people in Canada, with an unknown total of serious injuries, such as fractures. The most heavily impacted major cities included: Toronto with 57.2 cm (22.5 in) of snow; Hamilton, Ontario, with 62.5 cm (24 in); Pittsburgh with 15.5 inches (39.4 cm); Rochester with 22.3 inches (56.7 cm); and Syracuse, New York with 18.2 inches (46.2 cm). Smaller cities with the greatest snowfalls included St. Catharines, Ontario, with 66 cm (26 in) and Erie, Pennsylvania, with 26.5 inches (67.3 cm). In these urban areas, most car, truck, streetcar and bus transportation was blocked for a full day and hindered for three to five days, while stores, government offices and factories were closed for one to two days, and schools were closed for two to three days or longer. In some rural areas, people were snowbound to varying degrees for up to five or six days. Intercity travel by road, bus or air was blocked for two to three days and train travel was blocked or subject to long delays for one to two days. The single highest snowfall was recorded in Elkins in Randolf County, West Virgina, which received 36 inches (91.4 cm), with other mountainous areas of that state receiving about 30 inches (76.6 cm).

Meteorological history

One low pressure system/storm had formed late on December 8 in the southern High Plains and, drawing in cold air from the north, slowly moved northeastward producing snowfall over a large area, including as far south as the northern portions of some Gulf States.[9][11] States receiving substantial snowfalls included Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, southern Wisconsin, Kentucky, Indiana and southern Michigan.[9][11] A smaller low pressure system/storm, containing warm moist air, formed along the southern Atlantic Coast late on December 10 and unexpectedly moved northward towards Pennsylvania on December 11, slowing down the storm from the west and bringing additional moisture, thereby increasing snowfall amounts in the adjacent states and provinces in the eastern Great Lakes Region plus southward along the spine of the Appalachian Mountains.[9][1][10]

Cities such as Pittsburgh and Toronto were expecting four or five inches of snow but instead received four to five times that amount, leading Pittsburghers to call it the "sneak" snowtorm.[10][13] Winds whipped snow into drifts and impeded traffic considerably over much of the affected areas.[9] On December 12, the storms moved northeasterly to northern Maine leaving snow across much of their wake with the highest amounts being in northeastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, western and northern New York, southern Ontario and southern Quebec.[14] The East Coast received winds gusting to 73 miles per hour (118 kilometres per hour) along with precipitation ranging from a light slush in Washington to freezing rain in parts of New England.[15] The temperatures in the area of greatest snowfall were about normal, but substantially colder than normal temperatures were experienced throughout the southeastern United States, such that 5 inches (12.6 cm) of snowfall fell in North Carolina and light snowfall occurred in Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia and citrus crops were threated in central Florida.[14][12][16]

Overall Impact of the Snowstorm

The societal impact of the Great Snowstorm was assessed by the National Weather Service of the US as having Regional Snowfall Index (RSI) value of 9.504 in the Ohio Valley Region[17] and 2.155 on the Northeast Region,[18] while its two initiating storm systems had an RSI of 1.784 on the Upper Midwest [19] and 1.989 on the Southeast.[20] The ranking in the Ohio Valley Region labels it as a Category 3 ("Major") snowstorm while the rankings in the other three regions were as a Category 1 ("Notable") snowstorm. The total RSI of the storm is 15.3 which would rank it as a Category 4 ("Crippling") Snowstorm, the second highest category after Category 5 ("Extreme"), and place it seventh all-time in the RSIs for snowstorms in the Northeast.[18] As well, the area of snowfall of 12 inches (30.5 cm) or greater affected more people than all snowstorms in the Ohio Valley Region between 1932 and 1967 aside from the Great Appalachian Storm of November 1950.[21] The impacts of the snowstorm on southern Ontario and southern Quebec in Canada are not accounted for in the U.S. National Weather Service's RSI.[18]

Fatalities and Injuries

Final tallies of fatalities from the combined storm system ranged from 87 to 100 for the US[1][22][23] and 21 to 24 for Canada, all of Canada's being in southern Ontario.[24][5][25][26] The deaths in the US occurred in at least 16 states from Colorado in the west and Arkansas in the south, to Maine in the northeast, with Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York and Michigan having the greatest number.[27][28][29][30][31][32]

The exact causes of death in the Midwest and Great Plains states (Indiana and westward) were predominantly vehicular accidents, whereas for Michigan about half of the fatalities were on account of vehicular accidents.[11][33][32] For Ohio, southern Ontario, western Pennsylvania and western New York, the areas which had the quickest snowfall and, generally, the highest snowfall—which resulted in roads that were largely physically undriveable until they were properly plowed—causes aside from vehicular accidents were prevalent, these including: heart attacks from exhaustion from struggling to walk through snow drifts in blizzard conditions, or from shovelling or pushing cars out of snow drifts or from the stress of a car being stuck in the snow, or from shovelling in general; sledding ("coasting") accidents, including colliding with moving vehicles; vehicles hitting pedestrians, who in some cases were walking on roads as sidewalks were unwalkable; a streetcar overturning; exposure to the cold; electrocution by wires that fell due to high winds; and, death from tramatic, delayed child birth (see the below sections for these four jurisdictions for details on fatalities and references). In the 21st century, some of these, such as shovelling not involving a trapped car or sledding, are classified by some sources as "indirect" rather than "direct" deaths from a snowstorm.

Numerous injuries from causes similar to the fatalities, plus from falls, were reported in various newspapers, but only for Toronto was a tablulation reported, which was of about 100 serious injuries, including 54 fracture cases, for the 30-hours of the storm.[34][26][24] In Pittsburgh, in the 24-hours at the height of the snowstorm, severe injuries reported (i.e. fractures and internal injuries) included six people when a trolley hit a transport truck, a bus driver in a collision, four workers or pedestrians hit by vehicles, one person from a fall, and three youngsters from sledding accidents.[35][36][37] Amongst cities impacted by the western storm, Chicago reported "scores of injuries from falls", including one cracked skull, and two severe injuries from a car-subway train collision, in one 24-hour period from December 10 to 11, during which time four deaths also occurred.[38] In St. Louis, a major hospital reported 30 people had required treatment for injuries suffered from falls on icy sidewalks or roads in one 24-hour period, and in a second 24-hour period, six severe fracture cases from falls, including a skull fracture (which resulted in death), were reported.[39][40][31]

Impacts on Most Effected Areas

Ohio

While Cincinnati and Toledo received 4.5 and 4 inches (11.5 and 10 cm) of snow, respectively, from the storm on December 11, snowfalls rose to to 9.7 inches (24.6 cm) in Cleveland, 11.5 inches (29.2 cm) in Akron and 14.8 inches (37.6 cm) in Youngstown in the northeast of the state where the snow carried over into December 12.[41][42][43] Forty m/hr (66 km/hr) winds created blizzard conditions in some areas and blew the snow into high drifts which completely blocked many major highways for one to two days and secondary highways for two or three days.[44][45][46] Near the northwest town of Waterville, 50 vehicles, including trucks, buses and private automobiles, were stranded in one section of highway.[45] Intercity bus transportation was halted for two days, with reported 15-foot (4.6 metre) drifts blocking buses from Cincinnati from reaching Columbus and a State Highway Official stating much of their road-clearing equipment had been damaged by futile attempts to remove such high drifts.[47][48]

Most trucking lines were brought to a standstill, with one company indicating 180 of their trucks were either stuck in snow near or waiting in Akron until they could proceed.[47] In Akron, 110 of the city’s 131 buses were stuck in snow drifts at one point on December 12 and taxi companies pulled their cars from the road at 1 p.m. that day; bus service did return to 90% until late December 13.[43][45] Towing companies estimated to callers that there was a seven-hour wait to tow cars, chiefly because many of their tow tucks had themselves gotten stuck in the snow; with so many people stranded downtown people stormed hotel desks to get rooms for the night.[43]

Trains arriving in Ohio cities were between two and twelve hours late on December 12 and many were late on December 13 as well.[47][49][50] Air travel from northeastern Ohio airports, such as Cleveland, Akron and Youngstown, was halted for December 12 and part of December 13, and the Cleveland evening newspapers did not publish their late editions for December 12.[44][50] Several major war plants were shut down for December 12, including those in Youngstown, Sandusky and Chillicothe, and electricty and telephone communication were out in numerous counties.[43][45] Twelve people were killed in Ohio on account of the storm, specific causes including heart attacks from pushing vehicles out of snow drifts or the stress of being stuck in snow drifts, pedestrians being hit by skidding motor vehicles, being an occupant of crashing vehicles, and electrocution (one person).[51][52][50]

Pennsylvania

Large areas of western Pennsylvania received a foot of snow or more from the Great Snowstorm, with Titusville and Warren in the inland northwest, receiving 26 and 18 inches (65.0 and 45.7 cm) of snow, respectively.[1][53] Coupled with high winds, keeping the area's highways clear became very difficult, prompting the State Highway Superintendent to state "we're getting nowhere," adding that as fast as they plowed the roads the snow drifted backover them.[54][53] Thousands of vehicles were stranded along highways and country roads, including hundreds of transport trucks and many cars on the Pennsylvania Turnpike—many of the occupants of these vehicles which needed to get shelter at nearby farm houses or service centres until the Turnpike was cleared almost a day later.[54][55][56] Hundreds of deer hunters were trapped in the forest belts northeast of Pittsburgh and had to spend four to five days sheltering in hunting cabins or in trailers, trucks or automobiles, with one being found unconscious in a snow drift with their legs badly frozen.[57]

Once the snow stopped on December 13, the winds increased, gusting to 73 m/hr (118 km/hr), which turned the streets that had been a least partly cleared and had turned slushy, into hard bumpy, ridges of ice, further crippling transportation.[1] The storm's death toll in western Pennsylvania was 16, including 15 in the Pittsburgh District and one in the City of Erie, the latter being a person found dead in his marooned car.[1][53][58] When the storm moved easterly, the precipitation changed to rain or freezing rain in most of central and eastern Pennsylvania, with one death and one severe injury occurring in Philadelphia when two workers spreading sand at an ice-covered intersection were hit by a car.[59][55]

Erie

The storm unexpectedly deposited 10.3 inches (26.1 cm) of snow on Erie the afternoon and evening of Monday, December 11, followed by a further 16.2 inches (41.1 cm) on Tuesday, December 12—a total of 26.5 inches (67.3 cm)—leaving the City completely isolated, industry crippled and commerce at a standstill.[53][42] Described as the "most paralyzing storm in Erie’s history", 50 m/hr winds whipped the snow into 5- and 6-foot (1.5-1.8 metre) drifts.[53] Local bus service was halted the night of December 11; many buses never made it back to the garage and plows sent out to rescue them got stalled in snow drifts as well.[53][60]

By late December 12, some buses began running again and by the morning of December 13, half of the fleet was operating, although some were still getting stuck, requiring their riders to get out to push them out of snow drifts.[61] On December 14, while intercity buses began running again, most of the city's streets, as well as nearby suburban highways and country roads, remained clogged—bulldozers were needed to tackle many of them as snow plows alone could not do it.[62] Later on December 14, after another 3.4 inches (8.6 cm) of snow fell on Erie, the Mayor declared a State of Emergency and requested additional snow-clearing equipment from the state as, although city buses were able to run, most private transportation was still inoperable.[1][42][54][63] Schools in Erie only reopened on Monday, December 18, after being closed for four school days.[62]

Pittsburgh

Heavy snow hit Pittsburgh in the early afternoon of December 11 and by dinner-time transportation in the city was crippled; streetcars, trolleys and buses were immobile and auto traffic on roads leaving the downtown was at a standstill due to accidents and deep snow.[35][10][64] Thousands of office workers and Christmas shoppers were trapped downtown for the night—as all hotels filled up rapidly, the stranded people ended up spending the night sleeping in hotel lobbies and ballrooms, railroad stations, bus stations and the County Courthouse.[35][65][64] Some people spent 4 to 5 hours walking home, many using the automobile and streetcar tunnels through Mount Washington on the west side of the Monongahela River, which were otherwise unused since cars and streetcars could not get to them.[35] War plant workers could not get home so they stayed overnight and the next shifts could not get in, so production slumped significantly, and 24 mines in the District were closed on December 12.[10][12]

The 10.7 inches of snow Pittsburgh received on December 11 remains the second highest single-day snowfall in the City’s history; including December 12, the storm deposited 15.0 inches.[66] Removing the snow was a major problem for Pittsburgh—the City dumped thousands of truckloads of snow from the city's downtown into the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers but it still took four days until most downtown streets were clear.[67][68][69] Clearing the streets was impeded by thousands of vehicles marooned along downtown and surburban streets and on country roads and highways even two days after the storm.[70] On December 12, streetcars were running, although behind schedule, but it wasn’t until December 14, the same day schools and Universities reopened after being closed two days, that trolley and buses were able to provide somewhat regular service.[35][71][72][73] Air travel in and out of Pittsburgh was suspended from December 11 until December 14 and intercity bus, car or truck travel was minimal for two days until highways could be properly plowed.[10][69]

Residential streets were not cleared for several days during which time regular deliveries of coal to homes were impossible.[71] In the cases of sick or disabled persons or other emergency need for coal, the coal companies were undertaking emergency coal deliveries, but were sometimes thwarted due to snow drifts blocking residential streets and driveways.[74] Some rural townships just outside the City of Pittsburgh had a very difficult time plowing all the local country roads; scores of families in one Township, some needing medical attention and others faced with only minimal food, remained snowbound three to four days after the storm.[58] Fifteen people died in the Pittsburgh District, most from heart attacks from shovelling or pushing or digging cars out of snow, but some were pedestrians being hit by vehicles and a few were found dead in marooned cars.[71][75][58][56] Two houseboats in Pittsburgh sank due to heavy snow but no injuries were inflicted.[51]

West Virginia

Clarksburg, received 19 inches (48.3 cm) of snow but other areas of West Virginia received 30 inches (76.2 cm) of snow on December 12, with the peak snowfall in North America (36 inches/91.4 cm) occurring in Ekins in Randolf County, that area's highest snowfall in half a century.[76][14][51] As roads and highways were generally impassible, particularly through the Appalachian Mountains, all buses throughout the state were cancelled, most schools were closed, mines shutdown, and in parts of the state, the storm snapped telephone and electricity lines.[64][27] A two-coach passenger train was missing for over a day in snow banks about 45 miles (73 km) west of Charleston and a rescue train itself got marooned in deep drifts and broken tree branches 10 miles (17 km) short of the first train.[77][51] The adjacent parts of northwestern Maryland were similarly effected with as much as 15 to 20 inches (38.1 to 50.8 cm) of snow and drifts of 10 feet (3 metres) caused by 40 m/ph (65 km/hr) winds blocking several highways.[28][78] One person died from exposure in the western part of the Maryland and two people died and several others were seriously injured in vehicle crashes, one involving a bus, caused by icy roads elsewhere in the state.[28] Parts of Virginia's northern and western sections also received substantial amounts of snow and primary highways were not able to be cleared until December 14 at which time secondary highways were still blocked.[79]

New York

Beginning with 4 to 5 inches (10 to 12.5 cm) on December 11 and peaking on December 12, Buffalo and Rochester in western New York received 13.6 and 22.3 inches (34.5 and 56.7 cm) of snow, respectively, from the storm, while Syracuse received 18.2 inches (46.3 cm) over three days commencing December 12.[80][81] The Mayors of Buffalo and Rochester declared States of Emergency and schools, universities, department stores, restaurants, and most public buildings were closed on December 12 in both cities.[12][82][83] Most war production plants and other larger factories in all three cities were closed for at least a day as well.[12] Rail transport and intercity bus service through central New York to Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo and areas further west was at a standstill on December 12 and 13 due to snow drifts from the storm.[12][84]

Smaller cities, such as Jamestown in the southwest, with 26 inches (66 cm) over four days, Binghampton in the south-central area of the state with 12 inches (30.5 cm), and Watertown in the extreme north of the state with 11 inches (28.0 cm), also received substantial snowfalls.[80][84] New York City only had a sprinking of snow and high winds, which did result in most flights being cancelled.[12] Eleven people died in New York State from the snowstorm—some due to heart attacks from the exhaustion of shovelling or walking in snow, some from vehicular accidents, including as pedestrians, and also an expectant mother and her baby after the mother spent eight hours struggling to get to the Lockport Hospital, during which time an amubulance carrying her got trapped in a snow drift and the first municipal plow sent to extricate the ambulance broke down.[85][22][86][87]

Rochester

Aside from the now-closed grade-separated Rochester Subway, transportation in Rochester was completely paralyzed by the 22 inch-plus snowfall—"hundreds of buses" were marooned all over the city and its suburbs; only one main bus route was somewhat operational of December 12; cars and trucks were immobile and stuck in snow drifts everywhere; and, workers whose shifts were ending could not get home, and vice versa.[88] Some war plants, as well as the Eastman Kodak manufactory, kept some stranded workers working overtime and set up cots for them to sleep, but eventually they closed down for a day or more.[88][12] The night of December 12, several hundred workers or shoppers who were stranded in downtown Rochester were accomodated by cots in hotel hallways or even the conversion of single hotel rooms to dormitory-style rooms.[88]

Power outages cut power to one war plant and to hundreds of homes and high voltage wires crossed lighting ciruits burning out 1,600 street lights.[89][90] Only 35% of the operators for the telephone company were able to get to work December 12 and, as telephone calls soared, operators were working long hours of overtime—on December 13 over one million calls were attempted (compared to 530,000 on a normal day) but only 715,000 could be put through.[88][90][91] The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle published a reduced number of newspapers for December 13 and stated it was unfeasible to disbritute them beyond downtown hotels and newstands.[92] It also indicated that until the snow emergency was ameliorated, the paper would omit all advertising in order to reduce the weight of newspapers to be delivered.[92]

Thirty-four of the 41 independent contractors assigned by the city to clear snow declined to do so as the verbally-agreed-upon rate of pay was based on the distance plowed, not the amount of snow needing to be plowed or the amount of time required.[93] Accordingly, the removal of snow from roads and sidewalks was severly delayed, meaning private vehicle travel was extremely difficult and most bus routes were inoperational for several days, which led to the decision to close schools until after the Christmas Break and to most war plants only resuming normal production four days after the storm.[94]

To deliver emergency food and/or medicine to about 50 snow-bound homes, a group of ten people rode on horseback; they were also available to transport doctors to emergencies, if necessary.[95] Food deliveries could not be made to the stores and markets of the city, which were mostly downtown—on December 13 only 3 truckloads of milk of the usual 70 truckloads was able to be delivered to the city.[96] Only on December 15 was close to the usual daily amount of food finally able to be delivered, including the first vegetables and fruits, although the dairies pleaded for people "to dig up any bottles that might be buried in snow" as there was a shortage of milk bottles; with the then snow-blocked usual home delivery of milk, the delivery person picked up the used bottles.[97]

On December 14, Rochester requested assistance from surrounding municipalities and from the New York State Governor—the state provided 20 heavy-duty plows that were finished plowing state highways and roads in their respective areas; the arrival of heavy-plows was fortitious as colder weather the evening of December 15 made the snow harder-packed, almost ice-like, which required heavy-duty plows.[98][94] By December 16, about nine of the city's 15 bus routes were finally operating, on December 17, 80% of city streets had been plowed to some extent and all city bus routes were operating, although some surburban routes were still suspended; the airport finally reopened on December 18 once snow plows were available to clear the runways.[94][99]

Ontario

Most of Southern Ontario, received 20 cm (8 inches) or more of snow, which, after being blown into snow drifts by substantial winds, blocked most highways, leaving most cities, towns and hamlets isolated for up to a day or more.[100][101] Within most cities and towns, local car travel and transit was mostly impossible as well, and for most, intercity bus travel did not resume for at least two days because highways were initially only plowed a minimal width.[102][103][101][100] In southwestern Ontario, where snowfall began late on December 10th or early on December 11th, accumulations included 22.3 cm (8.8 in) in Windsor, 25.6 cm (10.1 in) in London, and 20.3 cm (8.0 in) in Kitchener.[104][105][106] In eastern Ontario, snowfall accumulations included 35.5 cm (14 in) in Peterborough, 31.0 cm (12.2 in) in Kingston, and 20.1 cm (7.9 in) in Ottawa.[107][108][109] Areas along Lake Huron and Georgian Bay received minimal snow, with Owen Sound, situated in-between those two bodies of water, recording 8.4 cm (3.3 in), although Orillia in Central Ontario to the east of Georgian Bay, received 31.0 cm (12.2 in) .[110][111][112]

The Orangeville-Georgetown area received 40.3 cm (15.9 in) of snow and hundreds of people in rural areas near there were stranded without power or telephone service for days until the roads could be cleared.[113][114] In Woodstock, located on Highway 2, the main highway between London and Toronto, 100 trucks were stalled in snow or waiting within the city for the highway to be cleared on December 12.[110][100][115] West of London, a convoy of 25 US army trucks, mostly driven by women, were stuck in snow drifts for several hours on December 12.[116] Most of Ontario's main highways (Highways 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 and Queen Elizabeth Way) were all open to at least car-widths by December 14 as 100 airmen from the Royal Canadian Air Force operated the Force’s plows along those routes beginning late December 12.[117] However, the Department of Highways still advised on December 14 it considered the highways open only to essential traffic as snowpiles/banks right next to the edge of driving lanes needed to be pushed back.[117][118]

Ottawa was not significantly impacted by the storm as milk deliveries continued, streetcar service operated mostly on schedule and roads were all plowed by the morning of December 13th, although intercity bus service was paused until late December 13.[119] At least 21 fatalities occurred in Ontario due to the storm—aside from multiple fatalities in Toronto and Hamilton, single fatalities occurred in Oshawa, Brantford, Campbellford, Woodstock and Richmond Hill, most from heart attacks from exhaustion.[101][25]

Toronto

Beginning with flurries on December 11, intensifying after midnight on December 12 and ending that afternoon, the Great Snowstorm deposited 57.2 cm (22.5 in) of snow on Toronto, which is still the second most in the city’s history (behind 58.5 cm in 1872).[b][121][122][123][124] The 48.3 cm (19.8 in) of snow on December 12 is still the single-day record for the city.[122][125] Winds of at least 50 km/hr (30 m/ph) piled many drifts as high as 3 metres (10 feet), trapping some people in their homes.[121][123][126] On December 12, moving around the city was almost impossible and all schools, the University of Toronto, the Toronto Stock Exchange, courts, department stores and 80% of other stores and businesses never opened that day.[110][100][127][123] The Toronto Daily Star published limited copies for December 12 and The Globe and Mail cancelled its December 13 paper.[115] Only the Yonge, King and Queen lines of Toronto’s 13 streetcars lines were able to be kept open all day, but only at a reduced and slower service level, as every section that was cleared was soon refilled by both drifting and newly-fallen snow.[121][128][129] Bus service was suspended and commuter train lines were mostly blocked leaving people in suburbs, such as Weston, Leaside and Long Branch, isolated.[130][110]

Numerous war production factories and other industries did not operate because only a small percentage workers could get to them; in most cases they did not restart operations until the late afternoon shift on December 13 or the morning of December 14.[122][128][131] Workers ending their night shifts could not get home; 200 workers at Victory Aircraft in Malton in four buses and numerous private cars were stranded for over 12 hours in the hamlet of Woodhill as Highway 7 to Brampton where they lived was totally blocked by 2-metre (6.6-foot) snow drifts.[110][132][133] They slept in a school and two service stations with food in the hamlet’s stores nearing depletion.[132] Workers at the oil refinery in Port Credit, as well as six buses and several transport trucks, were marooned by snow drifts for over 24 hours.[134]

The Mayor directed people to stay home unless their jobs were essential,[110][100][135] while the Province issued an order banning all non-essential vehicles from any streets in Toronto with streetcar tracks, that being most of the main roads.[122][128] The blocked roads to the areas around Toronto prevented almost all milk, bread and coal from being delivered to the city on December 12; only 3% of the usual milk supply arrived.[5][122] The Mayor broadcast on the radio a request that people restrict bread and milk consumption and the City transported emergency food to fire halls the next day.[122][136][124] By December 15, the City was arranging for emergency coal distribution to 26 fire halls as households without coal were unable to heat their homes or cook food.[137][138][133] Milk deliveries did not increase substantially until December 14 and even then the supply was endangered for a few additional days on account of an acute shortage of milk bottles, prompting the Toronto Milk Producer’s Association to issue a plea for residents to return any bottles they had.[139][140][137][133]

At least 13 people died in Toronto, most from heart attacks from struggling through deep snow and two from heart attacks while shovelling.[25][141][142][5] One person died when a streetcar turned on its side, trapping 170 passengers with 43 suffering injuries, 10 seriously.[143][5] An estimated 100 people were seriously injured in Toronto alone from falls and other accidents caused by the storm, with at least 54 of those being fractures.[144][101] Hospitals were overflowing and ambulances were incapable of making trips due to the deep snow.[100] Transportation into Toronto was greatly hindered: the airport had no flights for over 36 hours;[25] trains were delayed by up to ten hours on December 12 and 13 mostly due to electrical switches in the multi-track junctions near Toronto being smoothered with ice and snow;[145][115] and, no intercity buses functioned until late on December 13.[122][141] Only on December 16 were most of the City's roads passable—that meant they had one-lane's width cleared.[140]

Hamilton and Niagara

The highest snowfalls in Ontario were in Hamilton with 62.5 cm (24 in) and St. Catharines with 66 cm (26 in).[6][146][147] The storm caused the complete curtailment of streetcar and bus service in Hamilton for over a day and only minimal service being available for an additional day.[148][149] One neighbourhood, population 10,000, was only reached by plows the morning of December 14 after two nights of isolation without any food or coal deliveries.[6][101] McMaster University was closed for two days, public schools were closed three days, most milk or bread deliveries did not occur for three days, and it took five days for all transit operations, including suburban buses, to return to regular service.[146][6]

The QEW and other highways from Hamilton to the rest of the Niagara Peninsula were blocked with snow for almost two days—the QEW had 3 and 3.5-metres (10 and 12 feet) of snow in some valley areas.[147][148][150] All bus or street railway service within and between urban areas in eastern Niagara was suspended for up to two days; this prompted people to utilize horse-drawn sleighs to get around, including the St. Catharines Standard to deliver its newspapers.[151][147] In Welland, which received 43.2 cm (17 in) of snow, 1,000 workers at the Welland Chemical Works were stranded at the plant overnight until a bulldozer cleared the access road.[152][117] There were three fatalities in the region, all in Hamilton.[25][153]

Quebec

Montreal received 29.9 cm (11.75 in) of snow, mostly on December 12, accompanied by 48 m/ph (77 km/hr) gales, but it had staff of 1,500 men and more than 620 pieces of equipment ready to work in 12-hour shifts to clear snow, so the storm did not substantially impact the city even though it was still recoving from a 41.9-cm (16.5 in) snowfall earlier in the month.[154][155] Flights were grounded for 24 hours but train service remained normal aside from trains from Toronto, which were delayed four to ten hours on December 12 and 13.[156][155] Other cities in Quebec received lighter amounts of snow on December 12 and 13—Quebec City 6.4 cm (2.6 inches), Sherbrooke 8.4 cm (3.4 inches) and Chicoutimi 8.7 cm (3.5 inches).[157][158][159]

Notes

  1. ^ Numerous sources in various geographic areas, both in 1944-45 and in the 21st century have referred to the storm as the Great Snowstorm—see attached sources (note: last reference refers to December of 1944 as part of Winter of 1945).[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]
  2. ^ The Agincourt area, 20 km northeast of downtown Toronto, received 67.3 cm (26.5 inches) of snow over the two days.[120]

References

(Note: many references from 1944 require a temporary free membership to newspapers.com or to a major postsecondary educational institute library system although access to newspapers at google.news.com is free without registration.)

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Northwest Pennsylvania Stories, Archives of Benson Memorial Library, Jessica Hillburn, writer (December 11, 2017). "The Great Snowstorm of 1944". nwpastories.com.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ Toronto Public Library (December 14, 2017). "Remembering the Great Snowstorm of 1944". torontopubliclibrary.typepad.com.
  3. ^ Hamilton Spectator (January 26, 2015). "Hamilton's Great Snowstorm of 1944". thespec.com.
  4. ^ Vaughan Citizen (December 1, 2015). "Vintage Vaughan: Great Snowstorm of 1944". yorkregion.com.
  5. ^ a b c d e Reader's Digest Canada, Anna-Kaisa Walker, writer (January 10, 2022). "The 10 Worst Snowstorms in Canadian History".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ a b c d Toronto Daily Star (December 14, 1944). "Hamilton Hit Hardest By Great Snowstorm As Its Total Tops Toronto by Inch".
  7. ^ Better Magazine, Jessica Bedwi, writer (2022). "Most Incredible and Extreme Winter Storms Around The Globe". betterbe.com.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ Stacker, Rachel Cavanaugh, writer. (November 3, 2021). "What Winter Was Like The Year You Were Born".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ a b c d e U.S. Department of Commerce, Weather Bureau. (1944). "Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin: With Snow and Ice Data—for the Week Ending December 12, 1944".
  10. ^ a b c d e f Pittsburgh Press (December 12, 1944). "Storm Sneaks Out of South: Strikes Surprise Blow Here". news.google.com.
  11. ^ a b c d Pittsburgh Press (December 12, 1944). "Major Snowstorm Plagues Nation". news.google.com.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h New York Times (December 13, 1944). "50 Perish in Nor'easter in East" (PDF). timesmachine.nytimes.com.
  13. ^ Toronto Star, Natasha Grzinic, writer (December 12, 2014). "Think We Got It Bad? Remembering Toronto's Worst Snowstorm".{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ a b c U.S. Department of Commerce, Weather Bureau. (1944). "Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin: With Snow and Ice Data—for the Week Ending December 19, 1944".
  15. ^ Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, pg. 5 (December 13, 1944). "East Covered With Snow Ranging Up To 23 Inches". newpapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  16. ^ Chicago Tribune (December 12, 1944). "Cold To Strike In Snow's Wake". newspapers.com.
  17. ^ National Weather Service. "Regional Snowfall Index for Ohio Valley Region".
  18. ^ a b c National Weather Service. "Regional Snowfall Index for Northeast Region".
  19. ^ National Weather Service. "Regional Snowfall Index for Upper Midwest".
  20. ^ National Weather Service. "Regional Snowfall Index for Southeast Region".
  21. ^ "Regional Snowfall Index (RSI) | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)". www.ncei.noaa.gov.
  22. ^ a b Ithaca Journal, pg. 5 (December 14, 1944). "State Death Toll 9".{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  23. ^ Erie Times-News (December 14, 1944). "Storm Death Toll Nears 100".
  24. ^ a b The Globe and Mail (Toronto) (December 14, 1944). "21 Storm Deaths in Ontario; Traffic Arteries Reopened: Travel Near Normal in City Areas".
  25. ^ a b c d e Toronto Daily Star (December 14, 1944). "Toronto Auto Ban Ends Friday".
  26. ^ a b Montreal Daily Star (December 13, 1944). "23 Dead, One Missing and 100 Injured in Record-Smashing Ontario Storm".
  27. ^ a b Troy Record (December 13, 1944). "Storm Skirts Troy But Covers East". newspapers.com.
  28. ^ a b c The Sun (Baltimore), pg. 24 (December 13, 1944). "Western Part of State Hit By Blizzard". newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  29. ^ Bangor Daily News, pg. 10 (December 14, 1944). "Clearing Weather Moving Across Country Towards The East". newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  30. ^ Bangor Daily News, pg. 5 (December 14, 1944). "Two Killed in Car, Train Smash". newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  31. ^ a b St.Louis Post-Dispatch (December 12, 1944). "Mercury Dips to 17, City Covered With Six Inches of Snow: Engineer Killed in 3-Train Wreck Near Washington". newspapers.com.
  32. ^ a b Detroit Free Press (December 13, 1944). "Storm Fatal To 11 In State". newspapers.com.
  33. ^ Cincinnati Enquirer (December 12, 1944). "22 Deaths: Reported as Toll-Of Heavy Snow in Midwest States". newspapers.com.
  34. ^ Brantford Expositor (December 13, 1944). "Snowstorm in Southern Ontario One of Worst in History of Sector".
  35. ^ a b c d e Pittsburgh Press (December 12, 1944). "3 Deaths Reported: Hotels Overflowing; Relief Due Tomorrow".
  36. ^ Pittsburgh Press (December 12, 1944). "3 Die In Storm, Many Injured". news.google.com.
  37. ^ Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, pg. 11 (December 12, 1944). "Six Woman Injured As Trolley Hits Truck". newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  38. ^ Chicago Tribune (December 11, 1944). "9 Inch Snow Sets 5-Year Record Here". newspapers.com.
  39. ^ St.Louis Globe-Democrat, pg. 3A (December 14, 1944). "Pandas Spend Cold Day Frolicing in Snow, But Zoo Is Deserted". newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  40. ^ St.Louis Globe-Democrat (December 12, 1944). "Heaviest Snow in Over 2 Years Impedes Traffic". newspapers.com.
  41. ^ National Weather Service. "Past Weather for Wilmington Weather Office".
  42. ^ a b c National Weather Service. "Past Weather for Cleveland Weather Office".
  43. ^ a b c d Akron Beacon Journal (12 Dec 1944). "Fall of 10.5 Inches of Snow, Ties Up Traffic". Newspapers.com.
  44. ^ a b Marion Star (January 24, 2015). "A Bitter Storm Hit Ohio in 1944-45". marionstar.com.
  45. ^ a b c d Cincinnati Enquirer, pg. 3 (13 Dec 1944). "Snowstorm: Claims 10 Lives: In Ohio Forces War Plants to Close". Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  46. ^ Salem (Ohio) News (December 14, 1944). "Mercury Tumbles to 16 Overnight".
  47. ^ a b c The Akron Beacon Journal (13 Dec 1944). "Schools Reopen In Akron". Newspapers.com.
  48. ^ Cincinnati Enquirer (13 Dec 1944). "Colder and Cloudy, Forecast; Transport Service on Mend". Newspapers.com.
  49. ^ Cincinnati Enquirer (12 Dec 1944). "Mercury Due To Dip To 22 In Wake Of 4-Inch Snowfall". Newspapers.com.
  50. ^ a b c Salem (Ohio) News (December 13, 1944). "Cold Follows Record Snow". newspapers.com.
  51. ^ a b c d Evening Star (Washington, D.C.) (December 13, 1944). "Storm Deaths Reach 83 in US and Canada Relief Is Promised". Chronicling America:Library of Congress (loc.gov).
  52. ^ Salem (Ohio) News (December 12, 1944). "Worst Snowstorm in Years Hits Ohio".
  53. ^ a b c d e f Erie Times-News (December 13, 1944). "Storm Paralyzes City: 1 Person Dead, Traffic Stalled". newsbank.com.
  54. ^ a b c GoErie, Sarah Grabaski, writer. (December 7, 2016). "ThrowbackThursday:1944 winter storm paralyzes Erie".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  55. ^ a b Philadelphia Inquirer, pg. 19 (December 14, 1944). "Man Killed, Two Hurt in Storm Crash". newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  56. ^ a b Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (December 13, 1944). "Trolley and Bus Lines Way Behind Schedules Second Consecutive Day". newspapers.com.
  57. ^ Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, pg. 3 (December 16, 1944). "Some Homes Here Still Snowbound". newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  58. ^ a b c Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (December 15, 1944). "Many Families in County Still Isolated".
  59. ^ Erie Times-News (December 13, 1944). "Record Blizzard Blankets West Pa.; 5 Deaths Toll". newsbank.com.
  60. ^ Old Time Erie (December 13, 2013). "Record Storm Dumps 26.5 Inches of Snow On Erie".
  61. ^ Erie Times-News (December 14, 1944). "City Digs Out of Storm: Main Bus Lines Running, Schools Remain Closed". newsbank.com.
  62. ^ a b Erie Times-News (December 14, 1944). "District Still Crippled From Snow Storm". newsbank.com.
  63. ^ Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, pg. 3 (December 16, 1944). "Some Homes Here Still Snowbound: No Relief in Sight, Fluries and Older Predicted Tonight". newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  64. ^ a b c Evening Star (Washington, D.C.), Page A-3 (December 12, 1944). "Cloudy and Colder Predicted Following Today's Light Snow". Chronicling America:Library of Congress (loc.gov).{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  65. ^ The Pittsburgh History Journal (December 11, 2013). "On This Day In Pittsburgh History: December 11, 1944".
  66. ^ Pocono Record (December 17, 2020). "Snow totals in Pennsylvania: How much did we get today?".
  67. ^ Pittsburgh Press (December 13, 1944). "Officials Draft City Crews for Big Snow Removal Job". news.google.com.
  68. ^ Pittsburgh Press (December 15, 1944). "Warmer Weather May Relieve City".
  69. ^ a b Pittsburgh Press (December 14, 1944). "Snow Removal Huge Headache for District".
  70. ^ Pittsburgh Press (December 13, 1944). "Districts Battles Out Of Drifts In Wake Of Storm". news.google.com.
  71. ^ a b c Pittsburgh Press (December 14, 1944). "Traffic Peril Mounts With New Snow".
  72. ^ Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (December 14, 1944). "City, County Near Normal After Storm". newspapers.com.
  73. ^ Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, pg. 4 (December 14, 1944). "Snowstorm Vacation Is Over for Schools". newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  74. ^ Pittsburgh Post-Gazzette, pg. 14 (December 14, 1944). "Emergency Coal Deliveries Fail".{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  75. ^ Pittsburgh Press (December 13, 1944). "Storm Is Cause of 4 More Deaths".
  76. ^ National Weather Service. "Past Weather for Charleston, West Virginia Weather Office".
  77. ^ Akron Beacon Journal; pg. 1 (December 13, 1944). "Toll 66 Dead: Nation Digs Out of Snow". Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  78. ^ The Sun (Baltimore), pg. 24 (December 14, 1944). "Fridgid Weather To Coninue". newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  79. ^ Evening Star (Washington D.C.), pg. 2 (December 14, 1944). "Storm Hits Indiana But Wanes Elsewhere".{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  80. ^ a b National Weather Service. "Past Weather for Buffalo Weather Office".
  81. ^ National Weather Service. "Past Weather for Binghampton Weather Office".
  82. ^ Rochester Democrat and Chronicle (December 15, 1944). "State of Emergency Declared To Fight City's Snow Blockade". newspapers.com.
  83. ^ Rochester Review: University of Rochester (January–February 2015). "Can We Have a Snow Day". Rochester Edu.com.
  84. ^ a b Binghampton Press and Sun-Bulletin (13 Dec 1944). "Weary Crews Open Roads, Brace For Still More Snow". Newspapers.com.
  85. ^ Binghampton Press and Sun-Bulletin (14 Dec 1944). "Storm Death Toll in State Rises to Nine". Newspapers.com.
  86. ^ Binghampton Press and Sun-Bulletin (December 14, 1944). "Storm Journey Fatal".
  87. ^ Pittsburgh Post-Gazzette (December 14, 1944). "Mother, Baby Dead in Storm Tragedy".
  88. ^ a b c d Rochester Democratic and Chronicle (December 13, 1944). "21-Inch Snow Paralyzes City, Transit Halts, Stores Close".
  89. ^ Rochester Democrat and Chronicle (December 13, 1944). "Repair Crews Fight To Mend Power Breaks". newspapers.com.
  90. ^ a b Rochester Democrat and Chronicle (December 17, 1944). "Rail, Bus Lines Returning to Normal". newspapers.com.
  91. ^ Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, pg. 18 (December 16, 1944). "Phones, Plans Near Return to Normal".{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  92. ^ a b Rochester Democrat and Chronicle (December 13, 1944). "Winter Scores a Knockout! Newspaper Delivery Curbed". newspapers.com.
  93. ^ Rochester Democrat and Chronicle pg. 9 (December 16, 1944). "Independent Trucks Balk at Snow Job". newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  94. ^ a b c Rochester Democrat and Chronicle (December 16, 1944). "Drifts Turn To Ice, Hamper Plows".
  95. ^ Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, pg. 15 (December 14, 1944). "50 Storm-Bound Homes Get Food, Medicine By Horseback". newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  96. ^ Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, pg. 13 (December 14, 1944). "Snow Still Cuts Food Delivery".{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  97. ^ Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, pg. 9 (December 16, 1944). "Food Shortage Threat Fades".{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  98. ^ Binghampton Press and Sun-Bulletin (14 Dec 1944). "State Equipment Ordered to Rochester". Newspapers.com.
  99. ^ Rochester Democrat and Chronicle (December 17, 1994). "Snow Plows Open 80% of Streets: New Help Arrives".
  100. ^ a b c d e f Ottawa Citizen (December 12, 1944). "Ontario, Quebec in Grip of Blizzard".
  101. ^ a b c d e The Globe and Mail (Toronto) (December 14, 1944). "21 Storm Deaths in Ontario; Traffic Arteries Reopened: Travel Near Normal in City Areas". ProQuest Newspapers.
  102. ^ Brantford Expositor (14 Dec 1944). "City's Streets Better Today; Buses Running". Newspapers.com.
  103. ^ Kingston Whig-Standard (13 Dec 1944). "Highways and City Roads Being Opened After Storm". Newspapers.com.
  104. ^ Environment Canada (31 October 2011). "Historical Weather Data for Windsor".
  105. ^ Environment Canada (31 October 2011). "Historical Weather Data for London".
  106. ^ Environment Canada (31 October 2011). "Historical Weather Data for Kitchener".
  107. ^ Environment Canada (31 October 2011). "Historical Weather Data for Peterborough". weather.gc.ca.
  108. ^ Environment Canada (31 October 2011). "Historical Weather Data for Kingston". weather.gc.ca.
  109. ^ Environment Canada (31 October 2011). "Historical Weather Data for Ottawa". weather.gc.ca.
  110. ^ a b c d e f Toronto Daily Star (December 12, 1944). "Toronto Citizens Dead In Mountainous Drifts".
  111. ^ Environment Canada (31 October 2011). "Historical Weather Data for Owen Sound". weather.gc.ca.
  112. ^ Environment Canada (31 October 2011). "Historical Weather Data for Orillia". weather.gc.ca.
  113. ^ Environment Canada (31 October 2011). "Historic Weather Data for Georgetown". weather.gc.ca.
  114. ^ Orangeville Banner, Chris Halliday, writer (April 4, 2018). "1976 holds record as heaviest April snow fall for Orangeville". orangeville.com.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  115. ^ a b c The Gazette (Montreal) (13 Dec 1944). "20 Persons Die as Storm Hits South Ontario". Newspapers.com.
  116. ^ Brantford Expositor, pg. 3 (14 Dec 1944). "Snow-Clearing Operations Are Speeding Up in Ontario". Newspapers.com.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  117. ^ a b c The Globe and Mail (Toronto) (December 15, 1944). "T.T.C. Fears Worst As Auto Ban Lifted". ProQuest Historical Newspapers.
  118. ^ Toronto Daily Star (December 15, 1944). "Bottleneck is Bottles: 100,000 Short For Milk".
  119. ^ Ottawa Citizen (13 Dec 1944). "Milk Supplies Are Normal As Roads Cleared". Newspapers.com.
  120. ^ Environment Canada (31 October 2011). "Historical Weather Data for Agincourt, Toronto".
  121. ^ a b c Toronto Daily Star, pg.3 (December 13, 1944). "Weather Clear, Track Far, 'Business as Usual' – TTC".{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  122. ^ a b c d e f g Toronto Daily Star (December 13, 1944). "Toronto Shake's Off Blizzard's Paralysis".
  123. ^ a b c CityNews Toronto (December 17, 2007). "CityNews Rewind: What Was The Record Dec. 1944 Like?". toronto.citynews.ca.
  124. ^ a b Toronto Star (December 11, 2014). "Think we got it bad? Remembering Toronto's worst snowstorm".
  125. ^ Braun, Liz (January 17, 2022). "Toronto inches closer to new one-day snowfall record". Canada.Com.
  126. ^ The Globe and Mail (Toronto) (December 15, 1944). "TTC Fears Worst As Auto Ban Lifts".
  127. ^ Windsor Star (December 13, 1944). "Digging Out From Record Snow Fall". newspapers.com.
  128. ^ a b c The Social Historian (14 February 2016). "Snow, Snow and More Snow".
  129. ^ The Gazette (Montreal), pg. 6 (December 13, 1944). "From Arctic Ontario". Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  130. ^ Toronto Daily Star (December 12, 1944). "Man Dead, Schools Closed, War Plant Shut-The Storm".
  131. ^ Nation World News (January 18, 2022). "How Did Monday's Heavy Snow Fall In The History Books? You Might Be Surprised". nationworldnews.com.
  132. ^ a b Toronto Daily Star (December 13, 1944). "Four Piano Players Help Keep Strandees Happy".
  133. ^ a b c Toronto Sun (December 14, 2019). "The Way We Were: Let It Snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!".
  134. ^ Toronto Daily Star (December 13, 1944). "Two Die of Over-Exertion as Surburban Area Digs Out".
  135. ^ The Weather Network (December 11, 2021). "Toronto's WWII snowstorm — only 'essential' workers allowed to leave home". theweathernetwork.com.
  136. ^ Taylor, John Doug (November 16, 2011). "Personal memories of the greatest snowstorm to ever hit Toronto". Historic Toronto (tayloronhistory.com).
  137. ^ a b Toronto Daily Star (December 15, 1944). "Bottleneck is Bottles: 100,000 Short For Milk".
  138. ^ CTV News (December 15, 2015). "Historic blizzard: 71 years since Toronto's worst-ever snowstorm". ctvnews.ca.
  139. ^ Ottawa Citizen, pg.10 (December 14, 1944). "Limited Milk Supply Is Reaching Toronto". news.google.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  140. ^ a b Toronto Daily Star (December 16, 1944). "Are You Still Snowed IN? Mr. Bradley's On His Way".
  141. ^ a b Windsor Star, pg. 5 (December 14, 1944). "Still Digging Out Section Snowbound". newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  142. ^ Toronto Daily Star (December 12, 1944). "Citizens Dead, Unnoticed in Drifts and Blizzard".
  143. ^ Toronto Daily Star (December 13, 1944). "170 Trapped in Tram, One Killed, 43 Injured".
  144. ^ Brantford Expositor (December 13, 1944). "Snowstorm in Southern Ontario One of Worst in History of Sector".
  145. ^ Toronto Daily Star (December 13, 1944). "Snow Bottleneck Broken: Trains Underway But Late".
  146. ^ a b Hamilton Spectator (January 25, 2015). "Flashback: Storm of '44".
  147. ^ a b c St. Catharines Standard (January 28, 2021). "Yesterday and Today: The Snow Storm of 1944 Shut Down City Schools For The First Time".
  148. ^ a b Toronto Daily Star (December 13, 1944). "Storm Scored Technical KO Over Many Ontario Towns".
  149. ^ Ottawa Citizen, pg. 10 (December 12, 1944). "Milk and Bread". news.google.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  150. ^ Toronto Daily Star (December 13, 1944). "Main Highways Open But Please Don't Use'em".
  151. ^ Toronto Daily Star (December 14, 1944). "Ontario's Buried Villages Bobbing Up Out of Snow".
  152. ^ Environment Canada (31 October 2011). "Historical Weather Data for Welland".
  153. ^ Brantford Expositor (December 14, 1944). "Snow-Clearing Operations Are Speeding Up In Ontario".
  154. ^ The Gazette (Montreal), pg. 11 (14 Dec 1944). "Temperature Fall Due, Strong Wind, No Snow".{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  155. ^ a b Ottawa Citizen, pg. 10 (December 12, 1944). "Crossing Quebec". news.google.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  156. ^ The Montreal Daily Star, pg. 3 (December 13, 1944). "Colder Weather Predicted Here". Newspapers.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  157. ^ Environment Canada (31 October 2011). "Daily Data Report for Quebec City December 1944". weather.gc.ca.
  158. ^ Environment Canada (31 October 2011). "Daily Data Report for Sherbrooke December 1944". weather.gc.ca.
  159. ^ Environment Canada (31 October 2011). "Daily Data Report for Chicoutimi December 1944". weather.gc.ca.
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