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| Cold Wave of 2013 | |
|---|---|
| Name | Cold Wave of 2013 |
| Date | Late 2013 |
| Affected | North America; Europe (selected regions) |
| Fatalities | Hundreds (estimated) |
| Damages | Billions (estimated) |
Cold Wave of 2013 The Cold Wave of 2013 was a prolonged outbreak of extreme cold affecting broad regions of United States, Canada, and parts of Europe during late 2013, producing record low temperatures, widespread snow, and ice that stressed infrastructure and health systems. Meteorological analyses linked the event to anomalous behavior in the Arctic Oscillation, interactions with the North Atlantic Oscillation, and perturbations in the Polar Vortex, while national agencies such as the National Weather Service, Environment Canada, and European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts tracked its development.
Meteorologists attributed the event to a negative phase of the Arctic Oscillation coincident with a weakened Polar Vortex and a ridge over the Bering Sea that displaced cold air into the North American Plains, as analyzed by researchers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NASA, and the Met Office. Teleconnection patterns involving the North Atlantic Oscillation, the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, and stratospheric warming episodes observed by teams at NOAA ESRL and European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts amplified meridional flow, producing anomalous cold advection across the Great Lakes, Midwest, and parts of Central Europe. Climate scientists at institutions including Columbia University, University of Alaska Fairbanks, University of Toronto, and ETH Zurich debated contributions from Arctic sea ice decline and variability in the Greenland blocking patterns.
Initial cold outbreaks began in late autumn over the Canadian Prairies and the Alaskan Interior before plunging southward into the Contiguous United States in December, affecting states such as Minnesota, North Dakota, Michigan, Illinois, New York, and Texas through January, as reported by the National Weather Service and provincial services like Manitoba Government. Parallel cold and ice events impacted parts of Scandinavia, Germany, and the United Kingdom during winter intervals cataloged by the Met Office and Deutscher Wetterdienst. Major storms produced lake-effect snow around the Great Lakes and polar outbreaks reached urban centers including Chicago, New York City, Toronto, Montreal, Dallas, and Houston during peak periods documented by municipal emergency agencies and media outlets such as The New York Times and CBC.
Extreme temperatures and exposure led to hypothermia, frostbite, and carbon monoxide poisonings in urban and rural settings, with fatalities reported in jurisdictions like Michigan, Texas, Ontario, and Quebec per health departments and coroners. Vulnerable populations in cities including Chicago, New York City, Toronto, and Detroit experienced increased emergency department visits tracked by institutions such as Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Public Health Agency of Canada, and local hospitals affiliated with Johns Hopkins Medicine and Mount Sinai Health System. Cold-related infrastructure failures exacerbated outcomes for residents of long-term care facilities in regions like Minnesota and Québec where public health investigations involved agencies including State of Minnesota Department of Health and Institut national de santé publique du Québec.
The cold induced widespread cancellations and delays for carriers such as Amtrak, Union Pacific Railroad, and airlines operating from O'Hare International Airport, Toronto Pearson International Airport, and LaGuardia Airport; highway closures and pileups occurred on interstates including Interstate 90 and Interstate 94. Power grids managed by entities like PJM Interconnection, Electric Reliability Council of Texas, and provincial utilities in Ontario faced high demand leading to rolling outages and infrastructure strain, while water main breaks and frozen pipes affected municipalities such as Chicago, St. Louis, and Montreal. Ports on the Great Lakes, including operations at Port of Chicago and Port of Cleveland, saw disruptions from ice cover that interfered with shipping linked to operators like American Steamship Company.
Agricultural losses were reported across the Midwest and the Canadian Prairies, affecting corn, soybean, and winter wheat operations monitored by agencies such as the United States Department of Agriculture and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, with livestock stress and feed shortages documented by state extension services at Iowa State University and University of Minnesota Extension. Cold-induced tree damage and delayed migration affected species studied at institutions like the Smithsonian Institution, Audubon Society, and regional parks in Ontario and New England, while freeze events influenced phenology recorded by networks such as the USA National Phenology Network and Ecosystem Services Research groups.
Economic impacts included losses to retail, construction, and transportation sectors in metropolitan areas including New York City, Chicago, and Toronto, with cumulative damages and business interruption estimated in the billions by insurers like Aon and Munich Re and analyzed by economists at Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and Bank of Canada. Insurance claims for property damage, automobile accidents, and business interruption increased for carriers headquartered in New York and Toronto, while commodity markets for natural gas and heating oil saw price volatility reported by analysts at U.S. Energy Information Administration and International Energy Agency.
Federal, state, and provincial responses involved activations of emergency operations centers such as those in FEMA, Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, and state emergency management agencies in Minnesota and Texas, deploying warming centers in partnership with organizations like the American Red Cross and Salvation Army. Transportation agencies including Federal Highway Administration and municipal transit authorities adapted snow removal and de-icing protocols informed by research from Transportation Research Board and universities such as University of Michigan; lessons emphasized resilience in grid planning promoted by North American Electric Reliability Corporation and investments in building envelope standards referenced by American Society of Civil Engineers. Post-event reviews by academic teams at Harvard University, McGill University, and University of British Columbia recommended improved surveillance by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and cross-border coordination between United States and Canada emergency systems.
Category:Severe weather events