CityNews Rewind: What Was The Record Dec. 1944 Storm Like?

For a lot of people who woke up to thigh-high drifts, this weekend was the snowstorm of the century – and maybe even their lives. The storm that hit on Sunday didn’t break the all time record of 28 centimetres in 24 hours set on December 11, 1944, but we came close.

Think about all the modern conveniences we have now – snow melters, plows, salt sprayers, 4-wheel drive and more – and you can only wonder how they possibly made it through the mess back then.

The truth is some didn’t. Twenty-one people died in that terrible storm 63 years ago, mostly from heart attacks in people trying to shovel it all away. One person was crushed to death when gale-force winds blew over a streetcar, trapping 170 people inside.

It was a storm of unprecedented proportions and back then forecasting wasn’t what it is today, leaving many unprepared or unaware of what was coming. There were no modern snowplows to clear away what eventually wound up as an unbelievable 57.2 centimetres over two days. Winds piled many drifts even higher, trapping people in their homes.

The entire city literally shut down with all businesses closed. And it was a scene unimaginable today. Firefighters were used to deliver supplies like milk and fuel. Funerals were put off because no one could get there and there are reports of pregnant women actually being forced to walk to nearby hospitals to deliver their babies. Even the factories producing war materials were shuttered for the day, because workers and supplies simply couldn’t get there. 

In comparison, the next biggest weather event in the city came in January of 1999. Environment Canada estimates a “year’s worth of snow” fell over a two week period from January 2nd to the 15th, leaving 118.4 centimetres here with no place to put it all. With at least 65 cm on the ground even after crews were done their work, Mayor Mel Lastman famously called in the army, making Toronto something of a laughing stock across the country.