Referring to a two week period in January 1999 when most of Montreal and the surrounding region was hit by a tremendous storm. During the night, severals inches of water and hail fell and then proceeded to freeze over on everything from cars to trees to transmission lines. Power lines, trees, and even long range behemouth sized transmission lines fell under the weight of the ice, leaving much of the city without power or heat. A state of emergency was declared at a point when power was out in most of the city (where most people use electric heating), and temperatures dropped to a peak of -30 degrees centigrade (or 243K). Streets were blocked by debris and massive snow banks, schools were closed, businesses failed to open, however, the mail still came every day.