Reconstructing the Great Lakes "White Hurricane" Storm of 1913

In November of 1913, the Great Lakes were struck by a massive storm system combining whiteout blizzard conditions and hurricane force winds. The storm lasted for four days, from the 7th to the 11th, during which it was reported that Great Lakes mariners endured 90 mile per hour winds and waves reaching 35 ft in height. It is likely that 4 of the 5 Great Lakes experienced hurricane force wind gusts for a minimum of 10 hours, and potentially as long as 20 hours. With only basic technology available, shipping communication and weather prediction systems were not prepared for a storm of such devastating force. When the skies finally cleared, the Great Lakes had seen a dozen major shipwrecks (Figure 1), an estimated 250 lives lost, and more than $5 million in damages - the equivalent of more than $117 million today.