The White Hurricane:The Great Lakes Blizzard of 1913
One of the deadliest winter storms in North American history took place not in winter, but in early November. Learn more!
Quick Reference
- Storm name: The Great Lakes Storm of 1913, also called the Big Blow, the Freshwater Fury, and the White Hurricane.
- Dates: November 6 through November 10, 1913.
- Reach: All five Great Lakes, the United States Midwest, and Ontario.
- Trigger: A November gale, the “November Witch,” where Canadian cold air meets Gulf warmth over the lakes.
- Snowfall + drifts: More than two feet of lake-effect snow, with drifts up to six feet.
- Toll: 12 ships sunk, 19 stranded, 250+ dead. About $5 million in ships and cargo lost (about $100 million today).
- Why it stuck: The worst shipping disaster in Great Lakes history. Five sunken ships were never found.
While the heaviest snows tend to fall in February each year, November blizzards are not unheard of. Some historic November storms are frequently cited on lists of America’s most memorable blizzards.
The Big Blow of 1913
One of those, the Great Lakes Storm of 1913, is perhaps the earliest storm, seasonally speaking, to rank among America’s beastliest blizzards. Known by a number of nicknames, including “the Big Blow,” “the Freshwater Fury,” and “the White Hurricane,” the blizzard of 1913 battered the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada from November 6 through November 10, 1913.
Technically a hurricane, the storm was triggered in part by a regular phenomenon known as a November gale, or “November Witch,” when cold air coming down from Canada meets warmer air coming up from the Gulf of Mexico over the vast expanse of the Great Lakes.
Unusually cold temperatures turned this violent convergence into snow, causing whiteout conditions as more than two feet of lake-effect snow pounded a huge area of the United States and Canada.
For days, streets were impassable, streetcars were stranded, stores were closed, and telegraph and power lines were downed by the brutal winds. The storm caused hundreds of thousands of dollars of infrastructure damage (millions in today’s currency) and left drifts up to six feet deep in some areas.
More devastating, however, was the storm’s effect on ships attempting to navigate the lakes. In what has been described as the worst shipping disaster on the Great Lakes, 12 ships sank and 19 others were stranded on four of the five lakes.
More than 250 people died, and more than $5 million in ships and cargo was lost (about $100 million in today’s currency). Five of the sunken ships were never found. The National Weather Service Cleveland 1913 storm summary walks through the meteorology and the maritime toll.
A Deadly Mistaken Forecast
Compounding the severity of the storm was the fact that weather forecasters of the time misread the signs and predicted much less severe conditions. The Detroit News, for instance, called only for “moderate to brisk” winds on the Great Lakes, with occasional rain for the upper lakes, and unsettled conditions for the lower lakes.
As the storm worsened, forecasters upgraded the storm to “severe” on November 7, and shipping traffic on the lakes was brought to a halt. A lull in the storm, known colloquially as a “sucker hole,” on the 8th allowed things to get moving again, just in time for another peak in intensity to hit, with hurricane-force winds, a day later.
November 9 was the deadliest day of the storm. By the 10th, the system had moved into mainland Canada, where it abruptly lost steam and petered out. At the end of it all, the people of the Midwestern United States and Ontario were left with a huge mess to clean up from a storm people would still talk about over 100 years later.
Day by Day
- November 6, 1913. Storm forms. Forecasts call only for moderate winds.
- November 7. Forecast upgraded to “severe.” Shipping halted on the lakes.
- November 8. A “sucker hole” lull. Ships sail back out.
- November 9. Storm peaks again with hurricane-force winds. Deadliest day. Twelve ships sink.
- November 10. Storm crosses into Canada and dies.
Ships Lost in the 1913 Storm
- SS James Carruthers, the largest Canadian-flagged cargo ship on the lakes at the time. Lost on Lake Huron with all hands.
- SS Charles S. Price. Lost on Lake Huron with all 28 crew.
- SS Argus, SS Hydrus, SS John A. McGean, and SS Isaac M. Scott. All lost on Lake Huron in the same 24 hours.
- SS Henry B. Smith. Lost on Lake Superior. The wreck was not found until 2013, exactly 100 years later.
- Five other freighters. Three never recovered.
Why November Witches Are Real
The November Witch is the meteorological pattern behind the 1913 storm and the 1975 Edmund Fitzgerald sinking. Cold air sweeps south out of Canada and meets warm humid air pulled up from the Gulf of Mexico. The collision happens directly over the lakes, where 750-mile fetches of open water amplify any wind. Lake-effect moisture turns the rain to heavy snow. The result, every late October and November, is a stretch of weeks where Great Lakes shipping is genuinely dangerous.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the Great Lakes Blizzard of 1913?
The storm ran from November 6 through November 10, 1913, with the deadliest day on November 9. The full system stretched across all five Great Lakes and into Ontario.
Why is it called the White Hurricane?
The storm produced hurricane-force winds across the lakes while dropping more than two feet of snow with whiteout conditions. The combination of hurricane wind and blizzard snow earned it the nicknames Big Blow, Freshwater Fury, and White Hurricane.
How many ships were lost?
12 ships sank and 19 others were stranded across four of the five lakes. More than 250 people died and about $5 million in ships and cargo was lost. Five of the sunken ships were never found at the time of the storm.
What is a November Witch?
A November Witch is a regular late-fall pattern over the Great Lakes when arctic air from Canada meets warm humid air from the Gulf. The collision over open water amplifies the wind and triggers heavy snow. The 1913 Big Blow and the 1975 Edmund Fitzgerald sinking were both November Witch storms.
Why was the forecast so wrong?
Forecasting tools in 1913 relied on telegraph reports from a sparse network of observation stations and on simple barometric trends. The Detroit News called only for “moderate to brisk” winds. By the time the storm was upgraded to “severe” on November 7, ships were already in harm’s way.
What is a sucker hole?
A sucker hole is a deceptive lull in a storm that fools sailors and travelers into thinking the weather has cleared. The 1913 sucker hole on November 8 sent ships back onto the lakes just before the second peak with hurricane-force winds hit on the 9th.
Could a storm like 1913 happen again?
Yes. November Witches form on the Great Lakes every year. Modern long-range forecasting and weather radar give shipping much longer warning, which is why losses today are much lower than in 1913. The 1975 Edmund Fitzgerald and the 1998 Mike Munson are both modern reminders that the pattern remains lethal.
Tell Us
Family stories from 1913? A relative who sailed the lakes? Drop them in the comments. The Great Lakes shipping community still teaches the 1913 storm in maritime training, and reader memories help carry the lesson.
Jaime McLeod
Jaime McLeod is a longtime journalist who has written for a wide variety of newspapers, magazines, and websites, including MTV.com. She enjoys the outdoors, growing and eating organic food, and is interested in all aspects of natural wellness.
- Jaime McLeod
- Jaime McLeod
- Jaime McLeod
- Jaime McLeod
I grew up in Cheboygan, MI. It was not uncommon for gales to rip through the Straits of Mackinac. The Great Lakes -especially in the north – can be very unforgiving, even in the summers!
Plumbers from Wichita KS Plumbing Professionals: to guarantee some type of construction. In fact, Brad told me they are licensed, insured, ask for the new construction and ask them for a deck,
adds a whole lot of business. The W-2 form or a home,
either for entering into a second man from Austria, are not created by water.
We love the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, the weather is unpredictable and can change without warning and in a blink of an eye.
Thank you so much for these great facts my students look forward to hearing something that deals with where they live.
Jamie, I want to be you when I grow up!
This story explains the phrase “Witch of November” used in Gordon Lightfoot’s song, “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.”
Another 9/11 disaster. The storm that wrecked the Edmund Fitzgerald also came in November on the Great Lakes in 1975.
Thanks for the info! For those of us complaining about the cooler weather, remember it could be a lot worse! What a devastating storm! Wow.
Letting us know how much snow fell would help this article. How can one write an article about a snowstorm without mentioning the amount of snow that fell.
Major anniversary tomorrow! Will you be doing a commemorative story?