A powerful low-pressure system sweeping up from the United States plunged Montreal into a treacherous mix of ice and power outages on Monday, December 29, 2025. The storm left streets and sidewalks coated in a hazardous layer of ice, a fittingly messy scene for a day when the term "slop" was crowned Merriam-Webster's word of the year for 2025.
Winter Havoc Grips the City
The intense freezing rain event wreaked havoc on Quebec's electrical grid. At its peak, more than 30,000 Hydro-Québec customers found themselves without power as ice-laden trees and branches brought down lines. The dangerous conditions led to a spike in emergency calls, with hospital emergency rooms reporting an influx of patients suffering from fractures and concussions due to slips and falls.
Montrealers were seen scrambling for supplies to combat the ice, with photos capturing residents like Joseph Perlini and Jacques Brisson loading bags of salt into their cars at a Dorval Walmart. The scene was repeated across the city as people worked to de-ice vehicles and clear walkways.
From Icy Streets to Digital Junk: The Rise of 'Slop'
In an ironic twist, the messy meteorological conditions coincided with Merriam-Webster's announcement. While Montreal dealt with physical slop, the dictionary's definition focused on the digital deluge. The word of the year refers to the flood of low-quality, often AI-generated content clogging the internet, from absurd videos and fake news to junky AI-written books and pointless workplace reports.
The dictionary noted the term "has the wet sound of something you don't want to touch," a description that resonated with Montrealers navigating the city's frozen glaze. Other linguistic highlights for 2025 included Oxford's "rage bait" and Dictionary.com's choice of the enigmatic "67."
Ongoing Risks and Forecast
The aftermath of the storm continues to pose risks. Temperatures plunged to around minus-12 degrees Celsius overnight, flash-freezing any remaining wet slop into a solid, hidden layer of ice. For Tuesday, December 30, Environment Canada forecast a high of only minus-10 C for the Montreal area, with wind chill making it feel closer to minus-21 C.
Flurries and blowing snow are expected, which will obscure the icy patches underneath. Authorities are urging extreme caution for pedestrians and drivers alike. The temperature is predicted to drop just two degrees overnight into Wednesday, with more flurries on the way.
The storm's impact was visually documented across Montreal, from a security guard chipping ice off his car at the Montreal General Hospital to determined visitors navigating the icy terrain at Beaver Lake on Mount Royal. The event served as a stark reminder of winter's perils, perfectly encapsulated by a word that defined both the city's streets and the year's digital landscape.
