CMOS Bulletin SCMO
Vol. 45, No.2
9
Article: Weather in Canada’s First Year
January 16: The Moira River in Belleville, ON, rose nearly 2 m, flooding both sides of Front Street. The
water flowed through the front door of many dwellings, forcing occupants to escape to the second storey. Waters
flowed under an ice wedge at the mouth of the river, where, for want of a dredge, it was firmly blocked by sawdust
accumulating in the harbour.
January 23: Across Prince Edward Island, snowbanks were so tall that shopkeepers didn’t open their doors,
and the few women who ventured out got stuck in the snow and needed help. Mail was interrupted for a week.
Dogs resembled moving snowballs. When a passerby poked something dark sticking out of the snow with his
shillelagh, it growled. Some citizens called for a tunnel to the mainland.
January 30: At Fort Chimo, QC, a Hudson's Bay Company Factor recorded; "The river frozen over at last and
well it might with the thermometer 42°F below zero this morning. Men hauling home fire wood all got frost bitten."
February 8: A drenching rainstorm combined with fast-melting snow raised streams to flood stage in southern
New Brunswick. The strong current pushed small buildings off their foundations and destroyed several bridges,
including the suspension bridge at Norton. Two days later, temperatures plunged more than 20 degrees, encasing
roads and rail lines in ice.
February 18: A week-long thaw and heavy rains caused ice-clogging flooding on the Grand River in Ontario.
Waters filled most of the cellars in lower Perth East, ON, overflowing the Agricultural Society’s grounds and
threatening local mills and machine shops on the flats. Ice coming down Smith Creek grazed the street bridge.
April 8: From the
Ottawa Times
: “In Montréal [QC] some excitement was created by several sleighs crossing the ice
from St. Lambert’s. The ice is in a very rotten state, and the feat was rather ‘fool-hardy.’ Nevertheless, it succeeded. A
large crowd lined the wharves, to witness the performance.”
April 10: Following several fine-weather days, Ottawa, ON, streets began to dry up, enabling workers to clean
the crossings. The good weather in the nation’s capital tempted many ladies “to air a large quantity of dry goods on
the streets … a number of very fine specimens of dress and fancy articles had suffered greatly from mud. The
more cautious did not attempt the crossings at all.”
June 7: A terrific rain and hail storm and possible tornado burst over Garafraxa, ON, causing immense
property losses. A tornado destroyed fences and snapped trees at Belwood. Rain fell in torrents while small
creeks swept away fences and culverts, snapping trees off like “pipe stems.” In an hour, the Irvine and Grand
rivers rose a metre in one hour to the spring flood mark. The current carried tubs, sheep, pigs, and a horse down
the stream.
June 16: The steamer
North American
was wrecked after running into rocks on Ile d'Anticosti, QC, during
thick fog. All passengers were taken safely ashore.
June 27: Destructive wind storms
struck the city of Medicine Hat and
Provost Alberta – destroying a
two–storey house, downed the brick
wall of a new separate school and a
porcelain factory. In Provost, a church
chimney was downed and several
barns smashed.
July 3: A telegraph operator in
Sackville, NB, was recovering after
receiving a heavy electric shock during
a torrential thunderstorm the previous
day when the telegraph office was
struck by lightning. He still felt the
effects of the shock 5 days later.
Selected Weather Events in 1867
David Phillips, Senior Climatologist, Environment and Climate Change Canada
John Patterson and his MSC colleague
releasing balloon tethering a Dines
meteorograph for recording pressure and
temperature near the present site of
Toronto's Varsity Stadium circa 1911.
CMOS Bulletin SCMO
Vol. 45, No.2
10
Article: Weather in Canada’s First Year
July 3: It was nearly seven weeks since a good rain had fallen on the Ottawa Valley where temperatures
soared to 103°F in the noon sun.
July 19: A terrific thunderstorm with heavy rain passed over Kingston, ON. Lightning struck the chimney of a
home, moving the cook stove from its position, rolling up the floor of the garret like a scroll, tearing a hole in the
bedroom wall, and igniting the house on fire. Outside, lightning split a large stone, hurling a piece 10 m away.
July 24: Residents of Saint John, NB, cleaned up following a terrific thunderstorm. The vividness of the
lightning was only surpassed by the loud peals of thunder. Farm buildings near Collian Corner were struck and set
on fire. The loss was huge, including the stock of hay and all farming implements stored in the barn.
August 4: Heavy rain accompanied by strong winds and high tides pushed water levels so high that dykes
all along the Petitcodiac and Shepody rivers in New Brunswick were breached. The schooner
Quickstep
, lying at
Mary’s Point, was destroyed. Possible tornadic winds swept through Sackville, inflicting much injury. Gardens were
laid waste and trees shorn of their limbs and uprooted.
August 5: One of the worst oil well fires ever in Canada occurred in Petrolia, ON. When the burning oil ran
down the creek, a current of air came rushing in. In the centre of the vortex, the whirlwind took smoke into the
heavens like “a roll of wool,” and the flames, resembling a fiery serpent, whirled 100 m in the air. The awful sound
resembled artillery guns.
August 7: A mail carrier on his way from St Francis to Beauce, QC, encountered an afternoon
thunderstorm with considerable hail.
August 10: In Halifax, NS, a fierce gale blew for several hours. Gardens were left disfigured, and the
destruction to greenhouse glass was extensive. Winds blew down the frame of the new Baptist Church. At
Wolfville, the storm made havoc of the beautiful shade trees around Acadia College. Apple and plum orchards
throughout the Annapolis Valley were totally destroyed.
August 21: The captain and crew of the schooner
Algerine
watched “stupefied with terror” the descent of an
immense meteor into Lake Ontario. Estimated at about 6 m in diameter, the meteor let off a large volume of steam
and spray when it hit the water.
September 29: A strong gale blew from the northwest into Sarnia, ON, preventing upward-bound vessels
from moving into Lake Huron and causing downward boats to seek refuge in port. Several boats sustained
damage, making it necessary to lay over for a few days in Sarnia for repairs.
October 9: The Great Labrador Gale was one of the worst storms ever along the Labrador (NL) coast.
Thirty-seven lives and 27 vessels were lost. The famous seal captain William Jackman rescued 27 people, mostly
women, from certain death aboard the
Sea Clipper
. Twenty-seven times he waded into the icy gulf waters and
huge waves to carry each victim to safety on his back.
October 11: A drought throughout Lambton County, ON, caused wells to dry up, making it difficult for
farmers to water their cattle. In some cases, farmers had to drive their stock great distances to the St. Clair River
for water.
November 3: A couple living in the station master’s house on Front Street in Toronto, ON, narrowly escaped
being crushed in their bed when their 3-m-high chimney fell during a windstorm. The woman had gone upstairs,
intending to go to bed, but then returned downstairs because she had forgotten something. While she was
downstairs, the chimney crashed through the roof.
November 4: A strong gale hit southern Ontario, causing several ship-sinking disasters and building losses.
Winds downed several vessels on Lake Ontario with the loss of cargo and at least one life. On Lake Michigan, the
Chieftain
was a total loss after being driven ashore.
November 23: The thickest fog that ever enveloped Fredericton, NB, enshrouded the city. People
disappeared as if plunging into outer darkness.
November 24: Bound for Le Havre in France, through the spray of a heavy gale, the
L.C. Owen
sighted a
ship named the
Norwood
sinking in the North Atlantic. After a difficult 30-hour rescue, the
L.C. Owen
was able to
bring all 25 crew members to safety.
November 26: After the fog and rain and mud of the 2 past days, the weather today has been more
agreeable. Farmers are grateful for the rain that fell, and no doubt would have been glad of a continuance for a
day or two longer, in order that their exhausted wells might be fully replenished before winter set in.”
Quebec City
Gazette
November 29: The long-continued drought with strong prevailing winds contributed to fires in Chatham, NB.
Flames spread rapidly and fire broke out around 11 o’clock. In a short time, the whole block of buildings on the
south side of King Street was totally destroyed, together with several houses in the square.