Early Winter 2006 North American Storm Complex
Encyclopedia
The Early Winter 2006 North American Storm Complex was a severe winter weather event in the last week of November 2006 and continuing into December 1. It affected much of North America
in some form, producing all kinds of severe weather including a major ice storm
, blizzard
conditions, high winds, extreme cold, a serial derecho
and some tornadoes.
on November 26. It was unusual in that the snow fell all the way to the coast, which is rare so early in the season. Up to 2 feet (60 cm) of snow fell in the Cascades, with up to 6 inches (15 cm) in the Puget Sound
area. The Sierra Nevada saw up to a foot and many valley locations have recorded 4-10 inches (10–25 cm).
In the Greater Vancouver Area and Vancouver Island
, British Columbia
, 6-20 inches (15–50 cm) of snow fell on November 26 and 27, with Abbotsford
recording the heaviest amount. At least 1 person was killed by the snowfall in British Columbia
. The Vancouver
and Victoria
areas normally get far more rain than snow, even during the winter months, due to the warm flow coming from the Pacific Ocean
.
and a foot of snow falling along the Wasatch Front
of Utah through the 29th. Albuquerque, New Mexico
received a record-breaking 16.7 inches of snow.
, Manitoba
and northwestern Ontario
including the cities of Saskatoon, Regina
and Winnipeg. Accumulations of 4-10 inches (10–25 cm) were common and blizzard conditions occurred across portions of Saskatchewan
.
and Midwest
as far south as Texas
through the 30th, bringing the first significant snowfall of the season to some areas. Freezing rain and other winter weather also took place across parts of the southern Plains and the Tennessee Valley
by the 30th, as well. Blizzard conditions were reported in Oklahoma
, where Tulsa, Oklahoma
picked up about 10 inches (25 cm) of snow, a record high snowfall so early in the season for that city.
The storm continued to press northeastward late in the day on November 30, producing heavy snow and ice across most of Kansas
and Missouri
. The Wichita
area received blizzard conditions, while Butler, Missouri
picked up 15 inches (38 cm) of snow. Freezing rain and sleet caused widespread power outages in the St. Louis
region, causing over ½ million customers (almost entirely Ameren
) to be without power in Missouri and Illinois, for the second time in 1 year (see 2006 St. Louis Derecho), some of them not gaining power for a week. On Sunday, December 3, over 300,000 customers were still without power through the weekend, prompting the Army National Guard
to come in and provide aid. The storm also significantly impacted central Illinois
, where Bloomington
received 3 inches (75 mm) of ice, followed by 17.6 inches (44 cm) of snow. In Peoria, Illinois
, heavy snow caused the roof of a nursing home to collapse, injuring four people.
The storm hit the Chicago area on the morning of December 1, its intensity peaking during the morning rush hour. It's expected impact caused over 450 flights to be canceled at O'Hare International Airport
and 70 flights to be canceled at Midway International Airport. Additionally, hundreds of schools, colleges, and even workplaces, particularly in the collar counties
, were closed for the day. 17 inches (43 cm) of snow fell in LaSalle and Peru
, where blizzard conditions brought Interstate 80
to a standstill for much of the day. Chicago's northern and northwestern suburbs were particularly hard hit, where up to 15 inches (38 cm) of snow fell in McHenry
and over a foot of snow fell over much of Lake County, Illinois
, and northwestern Cook County
. Snow fell at times at rates of over 1 to 2 inches (3 to 5 cm) throughout most of the Chicago area, and thundersnow
was reported in several locations. Meanwhile, the city of Chicago
only saw 6.2 inches (16 cm) of snow, thanks to warm air on the back side of the low which produced more of a slushy mixture and less snowfall. Blowing and drifting snow, in addition to below-freezing temperatures caused roads to continue to be hazardous for travel through the weekend. In southeast Wisconsin
blizzard warnings were posted for much of the day on December 1 in Kenosha
, Racine, and Milwaukee counties. Genoa City, WI, just north of the WI-IL border, saw over 14 inches (35 cm) of snow, while Milwaukee
received 10.1 inches (25 cm) of snow. The highest total in the region was Kenosha, WI, receiving 17 inches (43 cm) of snow. This area of southeast Wisconsin had not experienced a blizzard like this since the Blizzard of 1999
. The storm moved out over Lake Michigan
and into the northern sections of lower Michigan
midday December 1, and up to a foot of snow fell across the area. By late afternoon, the blizzard moved into Canada.
and Quebec
. In eastern Canada, several areas received between 15 and 6-10 inches (15–25 cm), especially in northeastern Ontario and in central and eastern Quebec. However, many areas, including central New Brunswick
, southern Ontario and southern Quebec, received mixed precipitation including ice pellets
and freezing rain
. Over a 250,000 Hydro-Québec
residents in the Montreal
area lost their power during their storm and tens of thousands of residents in Ontario
were also without power due to damaging winds and heavy amounts of freezing rain. The ice accumulation locally reached two inches (50 mm) in eastern Ontario with Ottawa
receiving over 1 inch (25 mm) while Montreal in southern Quebec received 1.25 inches (30 mm) of ice. The towns of Russell
and Embrun
in eastern Ontario were under a state of emergency
due to the storm. This area was also hardly hit by the 1998 Ice Storm which caused over 1 million homes to lose power (some of them for up to one month) while transmission towers and hydro poles were destroyed.
on December 1 as the snow and ice took place farther north, where warm Gulf moisture created a situation ripe for heavy rain and severe thunderstorms.
On the morning of December 1, while heavy snow was battering the Midwest, large sections of the Northeastern United States
saw temperatures in the 60-75°F (16-24°C) range. Severe thunderstorms were forecast for Ohio
, Pennsylvania
, and parts of the Northeast Megalopolis
. Sure enough, heavy rain, strong winds, hail, and vivid lighting pelted the area, in addition to several tornadoes. One of the strongest tornadoes, an F2, struck Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
, southwest of Scranton
. An F1 tornado struck Greensburg, Pennsylvania
at 11:40 AM, east of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
.
that hit parts of Mississippi
, Alabama
, and Georgia
on November 30. Several tornadoes were also reported.
As of December 4, at least 23 deaths had been attributed to the storm system.
The storm also allowed frigid air bottled up in much of western Canada
and Alaska
to flow south and overspread the United States, with sub-zero (°F) highs in the northern Plains. The colder air later reached the eastern half of the United States with much lesser impact.
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
in some form, producing all kinds of severe weather including a major ice storm
Ice storm
An ice storm is a type of winter storm characterized by freezing rain, also known as a glaze event or in some parts of the United States as a silver thaw. The U.S. National Weather Service defines an ice storm as a storm which results in the accumulation of at least of ice on exposed surfaces...
, blizzard
Blizzard
A blizzard is a severe snowstorm characterized by strong winds. By definition, the difference between blizzard and a snowstorm is the strength of the wind. To be a blizzard, a snow storm must have winds in excess of with blowing or drifting snow which reduces visibility to 400 meters or ¼ mile or...
conditions, high winds, extreme cold, a serial derecho
Derecho
A derecho is a widespread and long-lived, violent convectively induced straight-line windstorm that is associated with a fast-moving band of severe thunderstorms in the form of a squall line usually taking the form of a bow echo...
and some tornadoes.
Pacific Northwest
The first impacts took place in the Pacific NorthwestPacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
on November 26. It was unusual in that the snow fell all the way to the coast, which is rare so early in the season. Up to 2 feet (60 cm) of snow fell in the Cascades, with up to 6 inches (15 cm) in the Puget Sound
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
area. The Sierra Nevada saw up to a foot and many valley locations have recorded 4-10 inches (10–25 cm).
In the Greater Vancouver Area and Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, 6-20 inches (15–50 cm) of snow fell on November 26 and 27, with Abbotsford
Abbotsford, British Columbia
Abbotsford is a Canadian city located in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, adjacent to Greater Vancouver. It is the fifth largest municipality in British Columbia, home to 123,864 people . Its Census Metropolitan Area, which includes the District of Mission, is the 23rd largest in Canada,...
recording the heaviest amount. At least 1 person was killed by the snowfall in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. The Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
and Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
areas normally get far more rain than snow, even during the winter months, due to the warm flow coming from the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
.
Rocky Mountains
The storm then moved into the central Rocky Mountains and the northern Plains from November 27 to 29. The central and northern Rockies received 1–2 feet (30–60 cm), with up to 3 feet (90 cm) in the Wasatch RangeWasatch Range
The Wasatch Range is a mountain range that stretches approximately from the Utah-Idaho border, south through central Utah in the western United States. It is generally considered the western edge of the greater Rocky Mountains, and the eastern edge of the Great Basin region...
and a foot of snow falling along the Wasatch Front
Wasatch Front
The Wasatch Front is a metropolitan region in the north-central part of the U.S. state of Utah. It consists of a chain of cities and towns stretched along the Wasatch Range from approximately Santaquin in the south to Brigham City in the north...
of Utah through the 29th. Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...
received a record-breaking 16.7 inches of snow.
Northern Plains
As the system moved eastward, it remained a snow event across the northern Plains, with the heaviest snow taking place in Canada on November 27 and 28, Heavy snow fell across portions of SaskatchewanSaskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
and northwestern Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
including the cities of Saskatoon, Regina
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
and Winnipeg. Accumulations of 4-10 inches (10–25 cm) were common and blizzard conditions occurred across portions of Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
.
Midwest
Late on November 28, the system moved eastward into the Midwest, with the most significant impacts taking place on November 29 and 30. Up to a foot (30 cm) of snow with blizzard conditions and even some freezing rain at times fell across the PlainsGreat Plains
The Great Plains are a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe and grassland, which lies west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S...
and Midwest
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
as far south as Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
through the 30th, bringing the first significant snowfall of the season to some areas. Freezing rain and other winter weather also took place across parts of the southern Plains and the Tennessee Valley
Tennessee Valley
The Tennessee Valley is the drainage basin of the Tennessee River and is largely within the U.S. state of Tennessee. It stretches from southwest Kentucky to northwest Georgia and from northeast Mississippi to the mountains of Virginia and North Carolina...
by the 30th, as well. Blizzard conditions were reported in Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, where Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
picked up about 10 inches (25 cm) of snow, a record high snowfall so early in the season for that city.
The storm continued to press northeastward late in the day on November 30, producing heavy snow and ice across most of Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
and Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. The Wichita
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
area received blizzard conditions, while Butler, Missouri
Butler, Missouri
Butler is a city in Bates County, Missouri, United States. The population was 4,209 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Bates County.Butler was the first city west of the Mississippi River to have electricity.-Geography:...
picked up 15 inches (38 cm) of snow. Freezing rain and sleet caused widespread power outages in the St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
region, causing over ½ million customers (almost entirely Ameren
Ameren
Ameren Corporation was created December 31, 1997 by the merger of Missouri's Union Electric Company and the neighboring Central Illinois Public Service Company . It is now a holding company for several power companies and energy companies. The company is based in St...
) to be without power in Missouri and Illinois, for the second time in 1 year (see 2006 St. Louis Derecho), some of them not gaining power for a week. On Sunday, December 3, over 300,000 customers were still without power through the weekend, prompting the Army National Guard
Army National Guard
Established under Title 10 and Title 32 of the U.S. Code, the Army National Guard is part of the National Guard and is divided up into subordinate units stationed in each of the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia operating under their respective governors...
to come in and provide aid. The storm also significantly impacted central Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, where Bloomington
Bloomington, Illinois
Bloomington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States and the county seat. It is adjacent to Normal, Illinois, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
received 3 inches (75 mm) of ice, followed by 17.6 inches (44 cm) of snow. In Peoria, Illinois
Peoria, Illinois
Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...
, heavy snow caused the roof of a nursing home to collapse, injuring four people.
The storm hit the Chicago area on the morning of December 1, its intensity peaking during the morning rush hour. It's expected impact caused over 450 flights to be canceled at O'Hare International Airport
O'Hare International Airport
Chicago O'Hare International Airport , also known as O'Hare Airport, O'Hare Field, Chicago Airport, Chicago International Airport, or simply O'Hare, is a major airport located in the northwestern-most corner of Chicago, Illinois, United States, northwest of the Chicago Loop...
and 70 flights to be canceled at Midway International Airport. Additionally, hundreds of schools, colleges, and even workplaces, particularly in the collar counties
Collar counties
The collar counties are the five counties of Illinois that border on Chicago's Cook County. The collar counties are tied to Chicago economically, but, like many suburban areas in the United States, have very different political leanings than does the core city...
, were closed for the day. 17 inches (43 cm) of snow fell in LaSalle and Peru
Peru, Illinois
Peru is a city in LaSalle County, Illinois, United States. The population was 10,295 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Ottawa–Streator Micropolitan Statistical Area...
, where blizzard conditions brought Interstate 80
Interstate 80
Interstate 80 is the second-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, following Interstate 90. It is a transcontinental artery running from downtown San Francisco, California to Teaneck, New Jersey in the New York City Metropolitan Area...
to a standstill for much of the day. Chicago's northern and northwestern suburbs were particularly hard hit, where up to 15 inches (38 cm) of snow fell in McHenry
McHenry, Illinois
McHenry is a city in McHenry County, Illinois, United States. In 2005, its population was estimated to be 24,631. McHenry was at one time the county seat of McHenry County...
and over a foot of snow fell over much of Lake County, Illinois
Lake County, Illinois
Lake County is a county in the northeastern corner of the state of Illinois, on the shore of Lake Michigan. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 703,462, which is an increase of 9.2% from 644,356 in 2000. Its county seat is Waukegan. The county is part of the Chicago metropolitan area...
, and northwestern Cook County
Cook County, Illinois
Cook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
. Snow fell at times at rates of over 1 to 2 inches (3 to 5 cm) throughout most of the Chicago area, and thundersnow
Thundersnow
Thundersnow, also known as a winter thunderstorm or a thunder snowstorm, is a relatively rare kind of thunderstorm with snow falling as the primary precipitation instead of rain. It typically falls in regions of strong upward motion within the cold sector of an extratropical cyclone...
was reported in several locations. Meanwhile, the city of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
only saw 6.2 inches (16 cm) of snow, thanks to warm air on the back side of the low which produced more of a slushy mixture and less snowfall. Blowing and drifting snow, in addition to below-freezing temperatures caused roads to continue to be hazardous for travel through the weekend. In southeast Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
blizzard warnings were posted for much of the day on December 1 in Kenosha
Kenosha County, Wisconsin
-Demographics: As of the census of 2000, there were 149,577 people, 56,057 households, and 38,455 families residing in the county. The population density was 548 people per square mile . There were 59,989 housing units at an average density of 220 per square mile...
, Racine, and Milwaukee counties. Genoa City, WI, just north of the WI-IL border, saw over 14 inches (35 cm) of snow, while Milwaukee
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
received 10.1 inches (25 cm) of snow. The highest total in the region was Kenosha, WI, receiving 17 inches (43 cm) of snow. This area of southeast Wisconsin had not experienced a blizzard like this since the Blizzard of 1999
Blizzard of 1999
The Blizzard of 1999 was a strong winter snowstorm which struck the Midwest United States and portions of eastern Canada, hitting hardest in Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Ontario and Quebec dumping as much as 60 cm of snow in many areas. Chicago received a recorded . The...
. The storm moved out over Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
and into the northern sections of lower Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
midday December 1, and up to a foot of snow fell across the area. By late afternoon, the blizzard moved into Canada.
Central Canada
On December 1, the blizzard and ice storm moved into OntarioOntario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. In eastern Canada, several areas received between 15 and 6-10 inches (15–25 cm), especially in northeastern Ontario and in central and eastern Quebec. However, many areas, including central New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, southern Ontario and southern Quebec, received mixed precipitation including ice pellets
Ice pellets
Ice pellets are a form of precipitation consisting of small, translucent balls of ice. Ice pellets usually are smaller than hailstones. They often bounce when they hit the ground, and generally do not freeze into a solid mass unless mixed with freezing rain...
and freezing rain
Freezing rain
Freezing rain is the name given to rain that falls when surface temperatures are below freezing. The raindrops become supercooled while passing through a sub-freezing layer of air, many hundred feet , just above the surface, and then freeze upon impact with any object they encounter. The resulting...
. Over a 250,000 Hydro-Québec
Hydro-Québec
Hydro-Québec is a government-owned public utility established in 1944 by the Government of Quebec. Based in Montreal, the company is in charge of the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity across Quebec....
residents in the Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
area lost their power during their storm and tens of thousands of residents in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
were also without power due to damaging winds and heavy amounts of freezing rain. The ice accumulation locally reached two inches (50 mm) in eastern Ontario with Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
receiving over 1 inch (25 mm) while Montreal in southern Quebec received 1.25 inches (30 mm) of ice. The towns of Russell
Russell, Ontario (community)
The Village of Russell is part of the Township of Russell which in turn is located in the United Counties of Prescott and Russell which covers part of Eastern Ontario, Canada...
and Embrun
Embrun, Ontario
Embrun (ˈɛmbrən in English; ), UN/LOCODE: CA EBU, is a community in the Canadian province of Ontario in the Eastern Ontario region. Embrun is also part of the National Capital Region. Embrun is part of the larger Russell Township in Prescott and Russell United Counties...
in eastern Ontario were under a state of emergency
State of emergency
A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend some normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alert citizens to change their normal behaviours, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale...
due to the storm. This area was also hardly hit by the 1998 Ice Storm which caused over 1 million homes to lose power (some of them for up to one month) while transmission towers and hydro poles were destroyed.
Mid-Atlantic
South of the ice, severe thunderstorms took place across the Mid-Atlantic StatesMid-Atlantic States
The Mid-Atlantic states, also called middle Atlantic states or simply the mid Atlantic, form a region of the United States generally located between New England and the South...
on December 1 as the snow and ice took place farther north, where warm Gulf moisture created a situation ripe for heavy rain and severe thunderstorms.
On the morning of December 1, while heavy snow was battering the Midwest, large sections of the Northeastern United States
Northeastern United States
The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States as defined by the United States Census Bureau.-Composition:The region comprises nine states: the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Mid-Atlantic states of New...
saw temperatures in the 60-75°F (16-24°C) range. Severe thunderstorms were forecast for Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, and parts of the Northeast Megalopolis
Northeast megalopolis
The Northeast megalopolis or Boston–Washington megalopolis is the heavily urbanized area of the United States stretching from the the northern suburbs of Boston, Massachusetts to the southern suburbs of Washington, D.C. On a map, the region appears almost as a perfectly straight line. As of 2000,...
. Sure enough, heavy rain, strong winds, hail, and vivid lighting pelted the area, in addition to several tornadoes. One of the strongest tornadoes, an F2, struck Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
- Demographics :As of the 2010 census, the county was 90.7% White, 3.4% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 3.3% were of some other race, and 1.5% were two or more races. 6.7% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino ancestry...
, southwest of Scranton
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...
. An F1 tornado struck Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Greensburg is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States, and a part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The city is named after Nathanael Greene, a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War...
at 11:40 AM, east of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
.
Southern U.S.
Additionally, large sections of the southeast saw severe thunderstorms, including a bow echoBow echo
A bow echo is a term describing the characteristic radar return from a mesoscale convective system that is shaped like an archer’s bow. These systems can produce severe straight-line winds and occasionally tornadoes, causing major damage.-Research:...
that hit parts of Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, and Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
on November 30. Several tornadoes were also reported.
Overview
The massive and far-reaching storm has been called the Superstorm of 2006 by some meteorologists.As of December 4, at least 23 deaths had been attributed to the storm system.
The storm also allowed frigid air bottled up in much of western Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
to flow south and overspread the United States, with sub-zero (°F) highs in the northern Plains. The colder air later reached the eastern half of the United States with much lesser impact.