15 years ago today, our region was in the midst of an incredible ice storm that affected millions of people. January 7-9, 1998 was one of the most destructive winter storms in our history! With cold air pooling in from the north, and a deep moisture feed all the way from the Gulf of Mexico streaming in at the mid and upper atmosphere from the south, a prolonged period of freezing rain continued, causing ice to build up on every surface...trees, powerlines, homes...everything! Just check out some of the photos from the event (left, click to enlarge).
For some areas in northern NY and southern Quebec, the ice accumulated up to 2 to 4-inches thick! The weight of the ice, as you can imagine, brought down millions of trees and branches which fell on vehicles, homes, and power lines.
Read a full writeup on the storm and more of the meteorological aspects by clicking here and visiting a review from the National Weather Service in Burlington.
