Ottawa residents gripping their car doors and gingerly stepping down their front steps this week might be forgiven for having flashbacks to January 1998. Canada's most destructive ice storm on record. But how does this week's system actually compare to the one that paralyzed the region for weeks?
The short answer: not even close. But it's still something to take seriously.
The 1998 Ice Storm: A Catastrophe in Ice
In January 1998, a series of warm fronts collided with Arctic cold over eastern Ontario and Quebec, producing one of the most devastating weather events in Canadian history. Some areas near the St. Lawrence River saw ice accumulation of more than 85 millimetres: coating everything from power lines to tree branches to road surfaces in a shell of ice centimetres thick.
The result was catastrophic. Millions of Canadians lost power for days or weeks. In Ottawa and the Ottawa Valley, the cleanup took months. Hydro poles and transmission towers collapsed under the weight of ice. The military was deployed to help restore power and assist vulnerable residents.
It remains the most expensive natural disaster in Canadian history at the time, causing an estimated $3 billion in damage.
This Week's Storm: Significant, Not Historic
By contrast, the current series of winter storms affecting Ottawa is expected to produce approximately 10 millimetres of ice accumulation, serious enough to cause school cancellations, dangerous driving conditions, and potential localized power outages, but a fraction of the 1998 event.
Environment Canada issued ice storm warnings for Ottawa and surrounding areas, with forecasters advising residents to stay home if possible, avoid unnecessary travel, and be prepared for possible power interruptions.
Ottawa's Ice Storm Preparedness Has Improved
One silver lining of 1998's devastating impact was the investments it prompted in infrastructure resilience. Hydro Ottawa and provincial utilities have since reinforced key transmission corridors and improved their storm response capabilities.
Still, Ottawa residents know better than to take ice warnings lightly. Even a thin glaze of ice can make sidewalks impassable, cause accidents, and knock out power to thousands.
Keep an eye on City of Ottawa updates, charge your devices, and maybe leave a little earlier than usual, or better yet, work from home.
Source: Ottawa Citizen
