A major winter storm complex swept across Canada and the northern United States between 17 and 20 December 2025, disrupting freight operations across road, rail and air networks. Heavy snow, ice and strong winds led to highway closures, hazardous trucking conditions and rail slowdowns, while air cargo flows were affected by weather-related delays at major hubs. The timing, just days before Christmas, amplified the impact on time-sensitive retail, parcel and industrial supply chains.
Several critical freight hubs were exposed to operational stress. The Port of Montreal (~1.7m TEU/yr) faced constrained rail and truck access during and after the storm, contributing to port congestion of around five days as conditions normalised. Inland corridors around Chicago (North America’s largest rail hub) and the Greater Toronto logistics region also experienced intermodal slowdowns, delaying freight positioning and distribution. While operations gradually recovered after 20 December, backlog clearance extended into subsequent days, highlighting the vulnerability of North American trade corridors to weather-driven shocks during peak demand periods.
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