December 2005 North American ice storm facts for kids
The December 2005 North American ice storm was a big and damaging winter storm. It caused a lot of ice damage in the Southern United States between December 14 and 16, 2005. At the same time, heavy snow fell in parts of Ontario and Quebec in Canada. This ice storm knocked out power for many people and sadly led to at least seven deaths.
How the Storm Happened
This storm started with a deep low pressure system. It formed over the Gulf of Mexico on December 14, 2005, and began moving north.
At the same time, very cold air from northern Canada pushed far into the central United States. This made temperatures on the ground very low. But warm air from the Gulf Stream stayed near the coast.
This mix of cold air near the ground and warmer air higher up caused the freezing rain. Another weather system, called an Alberta clipper, also added more energy to the storm.
Near the coast, in cities like Boston and Washington, D.C., the precipitation fell as regular rain. But inland, especially around Atlanta, the temperatures stayed just below freezing for a long time. This caused a lot of freezing rain to fall for many hours, leading to serious ice damage.
What Happened During the Storm
The storm caused a lot of damage. Trees and power lines fell down in many areas, starting from Georgia and moving north. Many highways, including major Interstate Highways, had to close because they were covered in ice and couldn't be used.
The thickest ice was found in southwestern North Carolina. Here, the ice was over 3/4 inch (20 mm) thick. In Charlottesville, Virginia, the ice was about 1 inch (25.4 mm) thick.
Further north, in the Great Lakes region and northern New England, the storm brought heavy snow. Some places got 7 inches of snow, while others received as much as 26 inches (57 cm).
In Canada, the storm was also very strong. Montreal received 41 centimeters of snow in about 12 hours on December 16. At one point, 30 centimeters of snow fell in just 4 hours. During the morning rush hour, 11 centimeters fell in a single hour! This was the second-worst snowstorm ever recorded for Montreal. Only a storm in March 1971 was worse. It was also the worst fall snowstorm in the area's history.
In Ottawa, between 20 and 35 centimeters of snow fell quickly. This caused many OC Transpo buses to get stuck on the city's transitway. Some of their long, bendy buses even got stuck sideways at a busy intersection in Gatineau, Quebec.
Sadly, at least seven people died because of the storm. One person died when a tree fell on their home in Kannapolis, North Carolina. Another person died from a faulty generator in a house that had lost power. The other five deaths were due to traffic accidents caused by the bad weather.
Power Outages
The ice storm left more than a million people without electricity. This happened in and around the Appalachian Mountains. For example, 630,000 homes and businesses in Georgia lost power. In South Carolina, 358,000 customers were affected, and in North Carolina, 328,000. About 13,000 people in Virginia also lost power.
It took more than a week for electricity to be fully restored in some areas. Many emergency shelters were opened to help people who didn't have power or heat. For some places, electricity wasn't back on until December 20, 2005. One death was even linked to the power outage.
