*Pictured Above: During Hurricane Hazel in 1954, this is the Humber River near the Woodbridge-Highway 7 bridge in Vaughan, in which a dam had been washed out. Photo source: Toronto Public Library*
If you think these last couple of weeks have been brutally hot, it could always be worse! Here is a list of 5 of the most extreme weather conditions ever recorded in Canadian History.
Hottest Day in Canada
July 5, 1937 in Midale and Yellow Grass, Saskatchewan
According to Environment Canada, the hottest day ever recorded in Canada was recorded on that date (during the Great Depression) in Saskatchewan when the mercury rose to 45 C.
The longest and deadliest heatwave occurred from July 5-17, 1936 in Manitoba and Ontario reaching highs of 44 C. The intense heat killed 1180 people during that stretch of time.
Coldest Day in Canada
February 3, 1947 in Snag, Yukon
Temperatures plummeted to -62.8 C in Snag, Yukon — the coldest day in Canadian history. At that temperature, exposed skin would freeze in less than three minutes, drastically increasing the risk for frostbite, hypothermia and death.
*Pictured Above: Article from the National Post*
Canada’s Deadliest Tornado
June 30, 1912 in Regina, Saskatchewan
Canada’s deadliest tornado hit during this time. This tornado killed 40 people, injured 300 and destroyed 500 buildings. It took 46 years to pay for the damage, and only lasted 3 minutes.
Canada’s Worst Hurricane
October 15, 1954 in Southern Ontario
Hurricane Hazel pounded the region with winds that reached 110 kilometres per hour (68 mph) and 285 millimetres (11.23 inches) of rain in only 48 hours. Approximately 4000 people were left homeless, and 81 people were killed. The total cost of the destruction in Canada was estimated at $100 million (about $1 billion today). 300 million tons of water fell during that storm.
Canada’s Worst Ice Storm
January 4th – 10th, 1998 in Eastern Ontario to Southern Quebec
This storm produced 100 mm of ice pellets and freezing rain (more than double the icy precipitation normally received in those areas in a whole year). 35 lives were lost, and 945 people were injured. 600,000 people were left temporarily homeless. The total financial cost of the storm was estimated at $5.4 billion.