What happened in 2013 in Toronto?

The December 19, 2013 ice storm was a “remember where you were” event. The storm was a result of a low-pressure system that formed over Texas and made its way to Ontario. The ice and snow also took out power lines, leaving over a million residents without power. The storm killed 27 people and cost $200 million.

When did the 2013 Toronto flood happen?

July 8, 2013
On July 8, 2013 Southern Ontario experienced a flash flood, with 10 cm (4″) of rain falling over Toronto in just two hours.

How did the 2013 Toronto flood affect the environment?

Yet the storm of 2013 also shows that Toronto’s urban environment is still susceptible to damage from flash floods, a phenomenon likely to become more common in upcoming decades. The worst damage hit the Humber River, just west of the City of Toronto. More than 500 homes were destroyed beyond repair.

What year was the flood in Toronto?

2013
On Monday, July 8, 2013, Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) flooded. A storm brought 126 mm of rain to Toronto, Ontario, causing the worst flooding since Hurricane Hazel in 1954.

Why do floods happen in Toronto?

Toronto has a flooding problem. In older parts of the city sewage and stormwater flow into combined sewers – some a century old – where pressure from intense rainfall can build until the excess explodes into basements or streets.

Is Toronto susceptible to flooding?

Toronto flooding is highly possible this weekend. There are thousands of flood-vulnerable structures located in the flood plains within TRCA’s jurisdiction, either because they pre-date flood plain management planning policies and regulations, or because they were permitted under special policy and planning provisions.

Has Toronto ever had a flood?

The Toronto flood of July 2013 In the age of Instagram, it was also one of the most well-documented weather calamities in the city. The Don River flooded and trapped passengers on a GO train, rail underpasses across the city filled with water, and as many as 300,000 people lost power.

What was the major cause for the 2013 Toronto flooding?

“Thunderstorms formed around 3 p.m. this afternoon to the west and north of Toronto and converged on the city around 5 p.m. The combination of tropical air, weak steering winds causing very slow moving storms, and thunderstorms redeveloping over the same area created the perfect ingredients for flooding.”

Does it flood in Toronto?

Although Toronto is no stranger to flooding—the first written account of a flood was in 1797—many were unprepared for the devastation this storm caused. Hurricane Hazel made its way to Ontario on October 15, 1954. Within 24 hours more than 200 millimetres of rainwater had fallen over the city.

Has a tornado ever hit Toronto?

The Southern Ontario Tornado Outbreak of 2009 was a series of severe thunderstorms that spawned numerous tornadoes in Southwestern Ontario, Central Ontario and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) on August 20, 2009, and was the largest single-day tornado outbreak in Ontario history and the largest in Canadian history.

What was the worst flood in Canada?

Between July 19 and 20, 1996, flash floods hit Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec. They are the biggest overland floods to hit Canada within the 20th-century. Before the floods, the area received copious amounts of rain for two weeks. The rain engorged the soils, rivers, and reservoirs.

Is Toronto at risk of flooding?

This graphic shows the 290-hectare area currently at risk of flooding from the Don River. Toronto and Region Conservation (TRCA) has mapped out the areas in our city most vulnerable to flooding. This was the natural mouth of the Don River. During a major storm, excessive water could safely flow into Lake Ontario.