Major ice storm that affected Eastern Canada and northeastern US in January 1998
The 1998 North American Ice Storm was the most destructive ice storm in Canadian history, causing 34 deaths and leaving millions without power for weeks.
Key Facts
- Fatalities
- 34 deaths
- Canadian Forces deployed
- 16,000 personnel
- Personnel deployed in Quebec
- 12,000 personnel
- Personnel deployed in Ontario
- 4,000 personnel
- Duration of power outages
- Days to several weeks, some months
- Successive storms combined
- 5 ice storms
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
In January 1998, an unusual meteorological pattern produced five successive ice storms that struck a narrow corridor from eastern Ontario through southern Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and bordering areas of northern New York to central Maine, depositing exceptional accumulations of freezing rain across the region.
The combined storms coated trees, power lines, and infrastructure with heavy ice, causing catastrophic and widespread damage to electrical systems and vegetation. Millions of residents lost power, large cities including Montreal and Ottawa saw activities effectively shut down, and 34 people died as a result of the disaster.
The storm triggered the largest deployment of Canadian military personnel since the Korean War, with over 16,000 Forces members mobilized to assist with relief and reconstruction. Rebuilding the power grid required an unprecedented effort, and some affected communities remained without electricity for months, prompting reviews of infrastructure resilience.