Cold and Dark: The 1998 Quebec Ice Storm

Episode 338: The Great North American Ice Storm of January 1998 was a devastating natural disaster caused by five consecutive ice storms affecting eastern Ontario, southern Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, northern New York, and central Maine. Montreal and southern Quebec were hardest hit, with freezing rain from January 4th to 9th accumulating up to 100 millimetres, collapsing trees, power lines, and steel towers. Nearly 3.5 million Quebecers and 600,000 Ontarians lost power, with blackouts lasting up to 33 days. The storm claimed 34 lives and led to the largest Canadian military deployment since the Korean War. The disaster tested the resilience of residents, who endured extreme cold and isolation while demonstrating heroism and community spirit.

Sources:

Jan 07, 1998, page 1 – The Gazette at Newspapers.com

The 1998 ice storm that called for the deployment of 16,000 military personnel | Weather Network

Ice storm changes the way cities prepare for disasters

1998 Ice Storm – Operation Recuperation – Veterans Affairs Canada

Ice Storm ’98 relived: A handful of Quebecers look back

Lessons learned from the ice storm of 1998

Timeline | Ice Storm 1998: Immersion in the Black and the Cold

25th Anniversary of the Devastating 1998 Ice Storm in the Northeast

The Worst Natural Disaster in Canadian History (Ice Storm 1998) | Discover Montreal

1998 ice storm led to better preparation for disasters in Quebec | Global News

Montrealers remember the ice storm of 1998, 25 years later | Global News