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December 2013 North American storm complex

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2013 Central and Eastern Canada ice storm
TypeIce storm
FormedDecember 20, 2013
DissipatedDecember 23, 2013
Maximum snowfall
or ice accretion		more than 30 mm of ice
Fatalities0
Power outagesover 1,500,000 persons affected
Areas affectedSouthern Ontario, extreme Southern Quebec, northern New York State, Northen New England, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, Michigan[1]

The 2013 Central and Eastern Canada ice storm was a severe ice storm that struck the central and eastern portions of Canada and the northeastern United States from December 20 to 23 of 2013.[2][3]

Synopsis

Surface weather map on December 20th at 18 UTC (1 PM local) showing the position of the warm front along which the freezing rain fell.
Weather map showing the progression of snow (white/blue) et and freezing rain (red)

A low pressure system from Texas was passing through Midwestern United States and entered Ontario, Canada, by 2 PM on the 20th of December 2013. The associated warm front, which ran from Texas to Toronto, extreme northern New York States and New England, had been more or less stationary for two days. North of the front, snow fell in large amounts while near it, precipitation was freezing rain and/or ice pellets (as shown in the loop).[4][5] The front gradually extended toward the Maritimes during the night on the 20th to the 21st, affecting extreme Southern Quebec, and later the Maritimes.[6] The storm caused freezing rain to build up on tree branches causing some to fall off and topple power lines in the process of falling.[7]

Preparations

Before the storm, forecasters predicted a mix of snow, ice pellets and freezing rain from two storm systems from Texas and the Great Lakes.[8] As the predicted possible ice storm was heading towards to northeastern United States, utility workers were preparing for the event. Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo declared a winter ice storm emergency for parts of the state, as well as preparing the emergency operations center.[9] In Toronto, utility workers prepared for possible down power lines and officials warned residents for power outages.[10]

Impacts

Canada

Ontario

A total of 600,000 Ontario hydro customers were without electricity.[11] Many parts of Toronto suffered a blackout from the ice storm. The storm entered southern Ontario around 2 pm local time before hitting the Toronto region in the evening hour. The storm brought about freezing rain which during the hours of 2–3 am in the morning of December 20 caused major power outages in regions with above ground power lines (mostly in Etobicoke, North York and Scarborough). At the end of the storm it is estimated that about 30 mm of freezing rain fell onto the city but the damage was very severe. The blackout was severe that it caused 300,000 customers to lose power, with Toronto Hydro stating that some people within the city would not have power well after Christmas Day. Because such a large number of houses got so extremely cold during the blackout, there were 14 centres around the city for seeking warmth.[4] Not all houses in Toronto lost power from the ice storm.

The storm had an impact as many houses use electricity to heat their homes. Toronto Hydro estimated that after the storm was said and done on Sunday afternoon, 300,000 Toronto customers had lost their electricity. On the following Monday, December 23, 2013, approximately 125,000 users had their power turned on with about 185,000 residents still in the dark. Crews from as far away as Michigan, Manitoba and other provinces have also come to help restore power to the region. As of 11 pm Tuesday, December 24, 2013, approximately 85,000 residents across the city remain in the dark. Four days later, about 725 homes and businesses in Toronto did not have power, with 1,500 homes and businesses elsewhere in Ontario needing power. On New Year's Eve, less than 100 homes were without power. On December 30, 2013, Loblaws, Shoppers Drug Mart, Sobeys and Metro donated $25,000 in grocery/gift cards and Coppas Fresh Market donated $5,000 in grocery cards. The Ontario Government donated $100,000 as well. Families and individuals in Toronto who were unable afford to replace food spoiled by the blackout could pick up the cards at Ontario Works offices starting from December 31, 2013 to January 3, 2014.[12]

On Sunday, December 22, 2013, the Toronto Transit Commission shut down their entire streetcar system as the ice had gotten too thick on the overhead wires. In addition, the Sheppard line also ceased operations until further notice. On the Yonge–University–Spadina line, trains were bypassing North York Centre station due to no power. In addition, the entire Scarborough RT line was shut down due to the freezing rain.[13]

Fallen trees on vehicles in The Annex after the ice storm

Quebec

The storm affected Quebec giving wind gust were measured at 85 kilometres per hour (53 mph) and snow measuring up to 30 centimetres (12 in). Freezing rain was reported over the extreme southern part of the province in Montérégie and Eastern Townships regions, up to 30 millimetres (1.2 in) in accumulation. It caused 6 deaths, but none related to the freezing precipitation. However, more than 50,000 power outages were due to ice build up.[14] Hydro-Québec sent more than 500 technicans as part of power restoration.[15]

Maritimes

The storm system from Ontario headed east towards the Maritimes provinces, creating delays at major airports in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. 53,000 residents in New Brunswick and 12,000 residents in Nova Scotia were without electricity.[16][17] Many of the Maritime provinces were under a freezing rain warning.[18][19]

United States

Consumers Energy crew working in Flint, Michigan

Parts of the United States were affected by the storm, including the northeastern United States, New York and Michigan. Red Cross shelters were set up to assist people affected by the storm.[1]

In the state of Maine more than 123,000 homes lost power."[20] Central Maine Power (CMP), Maine's largest electric supplier, brought in 900 line crews to supplement the CMP's 85 line crews to restore electricity.

In Michigan approximately 660,000 homes and businesses were without electricity across the state. Many of the outages were reported in Genesee and Lapeer counties. Consumers Energy stated, "this storm was the largest Christmas-week storm in the company’s 126-year history and the worse ice storm in 10 years."[21] Many customers in and around Lansing, MI and much of south central Michigan, who get their power from Lansing, MI's Lansing Board of Water & Light went even longer without power, for some even into the new year. LBWL GM J. Peter Lark has taken much criticism over his decision to travel to NYC to visit family members for Christmas rather than stay in Lansing and help oversee the effort to restore the utilities customers' power in a timely manner (and furthermore not resigning from his job after many in the media and local public had called for him to do so), which has led to the belief that many would have had their power restored much faster if Lark had stayed. Also LBWL recieved criticism over what was believed to be a poor plan for an event such as an ice storm. When the public and media demanded to see a plan of action to prevent or mitigate power loss in such an event, such documentation (some 40 pages) was presented by the utility; however it is believed to have been quite possibly written and presented after this demand was made. Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero and Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder both recieved heavy criticism for approving of the job that LBWL did in the power restoration effort despite much evidence that the utility was poorly prepared for such an event. The LBWL Board of Directors have also taken some criticism for not convening to review Lark’s performance during the outage and possibly vote him out of his job.

Aftermath

Canada

Ontario

Toronto Hydro reported that an estimated $12.9 million was spent on the ice storm. That includes around $1 million on lost revenue, $10 million on labour and another $2 million in materials such as wire. CEO Anthony Haines also reports that the cost might be passed onto customers in the form of a higher cost for electricity.[22]

Haines noted to critics that said Toronto's power distribution system should be underground, that such a project would cost about $15 billion dollars to complete. He quoted that "It would be about a 300 per cent rate increase over time", talking about the cost of electricity for customers, as underground systems cost about seven times as much as overhead systems. He also said that underground systems would not necessarily solve all the problems associated with weather-related power outages.[22]

Quebec

Maritimes

United States

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 2013 Central and Eastern Canada ice storm.

References

  1. ^ a b "Tens of thousands in U.S., Canada without power days after ice storm". CNN. 2013-12-25. Retrieved 2013-12-28.
  2. ^ "Ice storm means dark Christmas for tens of thousands". CBC News. 2013-12-25. Retrieved 2013-12-25.
  3. ^ Edmiston, Jake (2013-12-22). "'Catastrophic ice storm' slams into Toronto, strands travellers across the province". National Post. Retrieved 2013-12-25.
  4. ^ a b "Toronto ice storm: Outages continue on the day before Christmas". CBC News. 2013-12-24.
  5. ^ "2013-12-22 : Winter storm (preliminary summary)". Significant Events. Climat-Québec. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  6. ^ "Ice storm hits Maritimes, Quebec". Global News. 2013-12-23. Retrieved 2013-12-31.
  7. ^ "More than $200K in grocery cards to be donated to people in need after ice storm". CTV News. 2013-12-30. Retrieved 2014-01-01.
  8. ^ Sutherland, Scott (2013-12-19). "Possible ice storm in Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes this weekend". Yahoo! News. Retrieved 2013-12-29.
  9. ^ "New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont Bracing For Possible Ice Storm". CBS Boston. 2013-12-21. Retrieved 2013-12-29.
  10. ^ "Hydro workers prepare for possible power outages". CityNews. 2013-12-21. Retrieved 2013-12-29.
  11. ^ "Latest Update on Ontario's Response to the Ice Storm - Dec. 28". Government of Ontario. Queen's Printer for Ontario. Retrieved 2013-12-28.
  12. ^ "More than $200,000 in grocery cards to be donated to people in need after ice storm". CTV Television Network. 2013-12-30. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  13. ^ "'Catastrophic' ice storm blankets GTA". CP24. 2013-12-22. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
  14. ^ SÉGUIN, RHÉAL (2013-12-22). "At least six killed, thousands without power as ice storm hits Quebec". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2013-12-28.
  15. ^ "Lights still out for 14,000 Hydro customers since weekend storm". Montreal Gazette. 2013-12-24. Retrieved 2013-12-28.
  16. ^ "Ice storm power outages: Progress 'encouraging' in Ontario". CBC News. 2013-12-23. Retrieved 2013-12-28.
  17. ^ "Maritime ice storm leaves 50,000 in the dark". National Post. 2013-12-24. Retrieved 2013-12-28.
  18. ^ "Maritime weather warnings shift, travel still treacherous". CBC News. 2013-12-22. Retrieved 2013-12-29.
  19. ^ "Ice Storm Causing Delays For Maritime Travellers". CBC & The Huffington Post. 2013-12-23. Retrieved 2013-12-29.
  20. ^ Moskowitz, Eric (2013-12-28). "Thousands in Maine still lack power, a week after ice storm". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2013-12-28.
  21. ^ "60K Still Without Power Nearly 1 Week After Ice Storm". WWJ-TV. 2013-12-27. Retrieved 2013-12-28.
  22. ^ a b http://www.cp24.com/news/toronto-hydro-estimates-ice-storm-cost-utility-12-9m-1.1631835
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