The Severe CONUS Ice Season of 2013-2014

The winter of 2014-2015 produced colder than normal conditions across much of the Eastern United States which provided conditions necessary for the most severe ice seasons on the Great Lakes and Chesapeake/Delaware Bays in decades. The conditions resulted in wide ranging impacts on commerce and coastal communities as ice cover choked shipping routes, made harbors inaccessible, formed ice jams on many rivers, and damaged marine infrastructure. Cargo and commerce were decreased markedly across the Great lakes, with total bulk cargos carried on the lakes dropping over 40% from the 10-yr average during the ice season. These harsh conditions produced challenging operations for other marine interests as well as the communities that rely upon them. USCG Icebreakers put in a record amount of operating hours attempting to keep shipping lanes open through the ice, starting its season on Dec. 6, the earliest date on record. Search and rescue operations were extremely active responding to persons in distress on the ice. This review will highlight the effects that the ice had on communities, and highlight how NOAA, Environment Canada, and the US and Canadian Coast Guards all worked together to protect the movement of commerce, life, and property during the extreme ice season.