1973 Canada polar cyclone

The 1973 Canada polar cyclone, also sometimes referred to as the Christmas cyclone on 1973 was, at the time, the most intense polar cyclone on record in the Arctic basin, until it was surpassed by Polar Cyclone Evergreen. It is also one of the deadliest polar cyclones on record, killing over 900 people. Part of the inactive 1973-74 Arctic cyclone season, the storm developed from a large polar disturbance in the southern Hudson Bay on December 20. The newly formed polar cyclone slowly moved towards the north-east and steadily intensified into a strong polar storm. On December 23, the cyclone underwent explosive intensification, and reached its record peak intensity late of December 23, 1973. Slight weakening occurred, and the cyclone made landfall over the Ungava Peninsula early on December 24, with winds of 200 mph - the strongest polar cyclone landfall on record. Rapid weakening commenced after landfall, and the storm degenerated into a polar depression in less than a day over land. The storm, however, remained fully polar as it slowly traversed land, dropping copious amounts of snow in the affected areas. On December 27, the storm emerged over waters of the Hudson Strait and briefly regained polar storm status, before making its final landfall over Baffin Island on December 28. The storm dissipated shortly afterwards.

Making landfall over the Ungava Peninsula early in the morning on December 24, many people were still asleep when the eyewall began affecting land. Because of the storm's fast movement, rapid intensification over night and the isolated nature of many of the villages in its path, many people went to sleep expecting an ordinary blizzard. Dozens of people were still asleep when the eyewall moved over land, leveling entire villages with winds of 200 mph and gusts reaching 235 mph. In addition, many sturdier homes were completely buried in up to 18 feet of snow that the storm dumped on land. It is estimated that over 15 villages and settlements in the area were completely destroyed and buried under many feet of snow. The exact death toll is unknown, but is estimated at over 900 dead, with the highest accepted estimate being 1,739 dead. This makes it one of the deadliest polar cyclones on record, and the deadliest polar cyclone to occur after the year 1900.