On this day in 1944, a record snowstorm hit the area of Toronto, Canada. 21 people died due to the storm and nearly 20 inches of snow fell in one day.

The birth of this devastating snowstorm began in the Gulf of Mexico. The storm had moved up north, which was cold enough to keep the water in the clouds frozen to snow. The storm stalled for a short amount of time after its snow plummeted into the largest city in Canada. The winds of the storm were so high that the visibility was practically blindness. The storm also created large drifts of snow, which trapped people inside their homes. One bus was picked up by the winds and trapped roughly 170 people inside a building, killing one.

All traffic and businesses were closed down, so people had to rely on the food that was already in their homes. 13 of the 21 storm-related deaths came as a result of heart attacks caused by overexertion as people shoveled snow to dig themselves out of their homes. It was as if the whole city had stopped and was dead silent due to the storm.

3,000 teachers and 100,000 students got a snow day. As the superintendent of schools, Dr. C.C. Goldring, “arose and looked out his window,” he declared: “It would be practically impossible to open the schools.” 3 days later, the city started to break its silence once again. “It was about 50% normal,” people had said, emerging out of their frozen homes and snow.