Wikipedia:Today's featured article/February 27, 2005

The Great Lakes Storm of 1913 was a blizzard with hurricane-force winds that devastated the Great Lakes basin in the United States Midwest and the Canadian province of Ontario from November 7 to November 10, 1913. The deadliest natural disaster to ever hit the lakes, it killed over 250 people, destroyed 19 ships, and stranded 19 others. The financial loss in vessels alone was nearly USD$5 million, or about US$100 million in present-day adjusted dollars. The large loss of cargo, including coal, iron ore, and grain, meant short-term rising prices for consumer products throughout North America. The storm originated as the convergence of two major storm fronts that was fuelled by the lakes' relatively warm waters, a seasonal process historically called a "November gale." It produced 90 mile per hour (145 km/hour) winds, waves over 35 feet (11 m) high, and whiteout snow squalls. (more...)