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1987
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1985
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1898
Story with Photos
More Photos:
Adam Bennett
Des Cairns
Randy Colburn
Tim Dyson
Mike Gavrailoff
Dave Girotto
Ron Gravelle
Art Houghton
Ashlie Luska
Stephen Mayne
Patrick McCarthy
Brian Morganti
Colin McIntyre
Jennifer Metcalfe
Rob Paola
Mark Rozitis
Lisa Welsh
Colin Williamson
Riley Woytas
Edmonton, Alberta, 1987: F4
Click picture for pictures/info.

And more photos of the above
AVE>
And more photos of the above
here
North Bay, Ontario :

High River, Alberta,
June 27/'96:

Clear Creek, Ontario, Aug.4/'99:
(Video shot by Gage Townsend)
- Canada is 2nd only to
the United States in the number of tornados that touch down each year.
On average, 100 tornados are reported by radar or sighted by people each
year, yet, due to the lack of Doppler radar in Canada (which can predict
tornado formations within a storm), and due to the fact that much of
Canada is sparsely populated, many tornados go undetected. The true
number of tornados that touch down on Canadian soil each year could be
much more than the number reported. What is "severe" weather? Severe
weather is defined as any element of the weather that threaten peoples'
property or safety.
- How does Southern
Ontario compare with the states for tornado frequency? It was stated in
a university study that Southern Ontario has about half of the number of
tornados as the most afflicted region of the U.S. in Oklahoma and
Kansas. The Red River valley of southern Manitoba has reported
frequencies about one-third of the highest values in the U.S.
"Southern Canada definitely has a tornado hazard, all the way from New
Brunswick to the B.C. interior. Only in extreme southwestern Ontario,
though, is an average of one F2 to F4 tornado per 10,000 square miles
per year experienced."
-
Environment Canada defines a severe
thunderstorm as the following: Wind gusts of 90 km/h or greater, hail
of 2 centimeters diameter or greater, rainfall rate greater than 50
millimetres in 1 hour or less, or 75 millimetres in 3 hours or less. |
LATEST UPDATE:
JUL.1 - HAPPY CANADA DAY !
JUN.30
Tornadoes touch down in
Saskatchewan
JUN.29
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
A WEATHER DISTURBANCE TERMED BY METEOROLOGISTS AS A COLD LOW HAS ARRIVED
OVER THE GREAT LAKES AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE UNSETTLED SHOWERY
WEATHER TODAY. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT PARTS OF SOUTHERN
ONTARIO THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING. A FEW OF THESE STORMS MAY
BRIEFLY PRODUCE 1 TO 2 CENTIMETRE HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS TO 70 OR 80 KM/H.
CONDITIONS ARE ALSO FAVOURABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF FUNNEL CLOUDS THIS
AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. THESE TYPES OF FUNNEL CLOUDS FORM OUT OF
LARGE CUMULUS CLOUDS OR WEAK THUNDERSTORMS AND NORMALLY DO NOT HAVE
ENOUGH ENERGY TO REACH THE GROUND.
HOWEVER THERE IS A RISK THAT ONE OF THESE FUNNELS MAY BRIEFLY TOUCH DOWN
AS A WEAK TORNADO AND BECOME DESTRUCTIVE OVER A VERY SMALL AREA. TREAT
ALL FUNNEL CLOUDS AND TORNADOES SERIOUSLY AND AVOID WHEN POSSIBLE.
SHOULD ONE DEVELOP OVERHEAD, TAKE SHELTER UNTIL IT DISSIPATES. REMEMBER,
THESE FUNNEL CLOUDS WILL NORMALLY APPEAR WITH LITTLE OR NO WARNING.
JUN.25 - SEVERE STORMS
Severe thunderstorm warnings issued for this area (Niagara) as well
as many other areas of southern Ontario. Tornado warnings issued.
Tornado touchdown confirmed on video.
Photo by unknown motorist of Avon-area
F2 tornado :

2 videos at the top of
this page

APR.28 - 2 CONFIRMED TORNADOS
1ST TORNADO CONFIRMATION:
AWCN11 CWTO 260706 WEATHER SUMMARY FOR ALL OF
SOUTHERN ONTARIO AND THE NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION ISSUED BY ENVIRONMENT
CANADA TORONTO AT 2:49 AM EDT SUNDAY 26 APRIL 2009.
AFTER RECEIVING REPORTS OF FUNNEL CLOUDS
AND A POSSIBLE TORNADO IN THE WINDSOR AREA SATURDAY EVENING, AN
ENVIRONMENT CANADA DAMAGE SURVEY TEAM WAS SENT OUT EARLIER TODAY. AFTER
SPEAKING WITH SOME EYEWITNESSES TO THE EVENT AND VIEWING THE DAMAGE,
ENVIRONMENT CANADA IS CONFIRMING ONTARIO'S FIRST TORNADO OF THE 2009
SEASON. THE TORNADO BRIEFLY OCCURRED NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF HANNA ST
EAST AND LANGLOIS AVENUE IN WINDSOR. IT DID MINOR ROOF DAMAGE TO A UNION
HALL AND DEBRIS FROM THE ROOF ALSO DID SOME DAMAGE TO HOMES TO THE
SOUTHEAST OF THE UNION HALL. THE TORNADO WAS RATED AS A FUJITA SCALE
ZERO EVENT WITH MAXIMUM WINDS AROUND 90 KILOMETRES PER HOUR. THIS IS THE
LOWEST RATING ON THE FUJITA SCALE WHICH GOES FROM ZERO TO FIVE.
ENVIRONMENT CANADA PERSONNEL ARE CONTINUING TO INVESTIGATE DAMAGE FROM
SATURDAY'S STORMS THAT OCCURRED IN THE OTTAWA AREA. SOME OF THIS DAMAGE
MAY ALSO HAVE BEEN RELATED TO TORNADOES. AN UPDATE ON THIS INVESTIGATION
WILL BE ISSUED ON TUESDAY. SATURDAY'S STORMS WERE A REMINDER THAT THE
SUMMER SEVERE WEATHER SEASON HAS NOW BEGUN IN SOUTHERN ONTARIO. THE
SEASON NORMALLY BEGINS IN LATE APRIL AND LASTS UNTIL EARLY OCTOBER.
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN PRODUCE LARGE HAIL, HEAVY RAIN, DAMAGING WINDS
OR TORNADOES. AT THIS TIME OF YEAR IT IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA TO STAY
INFORMED ABOUT THE LATEST WEATHER FORECASTS, WATCHES AND WARNINGS. ON
DAYS WHEN SEVERE WEATHER IS POSSIBLE, KEEP AN EYE ON THE SKY AND BE
PREPARED TO SEEK THE MOST SOLID SHELTER AVAILABLE.
2ND TORNADO CONFIRMATION:
WEATHER SUMMARY FOR ALL OF SOUTHERN ONTARIO AND THE NATIONAL CAPITAL
REGION ISSUED BY ENVIRONMENT CANADA TORONTO AT 2:56 PM EDT TUESDAY 28
APRIL 2009.
THE SECOND CONFIRMED TORNADO FROM
SATURDAYS STORMS OVER ONTARIO. ON SATURDAY APRIL 25TH A LINE OF
THUNDERSTORMS CROSSED EASTERN ONTARIO INCLUDING THE NATIONAL CAPITAL
REGION. AROUND 7:30 PM THE OTTAWA-GATINEAU REGION EXPERIENCED A BRIEF
PERIOD OF VERY HIGH WINDS..GUSTS AS HIGH AS 96 KM/H WERE MEASURED AT THE
GATINEAU AIRPORT. THERE WERE NUMEROUS REPORTS OF DOWNED TREES, POWER
LINES AND POWER OUTAGES ACROSS THE REGION, AND A FEW BUILDINGS LOST PART
OR ALL OF THEIR ROOFS, ON BOTH SIDES OF THE RIVER.
ENVIRONMENT CANADA BELIEVES THAT MOST OF THE DAMAGE FROM THIS EVENT WAS
STRAIGHT-LINE WIND DAMAGE DUE TO THE STRONG OUTFLOW FROM THE
THUNDERSTORMS. HOWEVER, THERE WAS ONE SWATH OF DAMAGE IN THE WEST END OF
OTTAWA, FROM BRITTANIA PARK TOWARDS CARLINGTON HEIGHTS (TOTAL LENGTH
APPROX 5 KM) WHICH EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. THE
DAMAGE PATH RANGED FROM 50 METRES WIDE OVER THE WESTERN PART OF THE PATH
TO NEAR 150 METRES WIDE OVER THE EASTERN PART. FURTHERMORE, ONE
EYEWITNESS NEAR THE BRITTANIA YACHT CLUB REPORTS SEEING THREE
WATERSPOUTS OVER THE RIVER, ONE OF WHICH HEADED TOWARDS BRITTANIA BEACH.
OTHER WITNESSES ON MORISSET AVE. REPORTED SEEING FUNNEL CLOUDS AND
SWIRLING DEBRIS.
THE COMBINATION OF THE DAMAGE TRACK AND
EYEWITNESS REPORTS IS SUFFICIENT FOR ENVIRONMENT CANADA TO CONFIRM THE
SECOND TORNADO OF THE SEASON FOR ONTARIO. (WHILE THREE INDIVIDUAL
WATERSPOUTS WERE SEEN OVER THE WATER, THIS WILL BE TREATED AS ONE
TORNADO EVENT.) THE TORNADO WAS RATED AS AN UPPER END FUJITA SCALE ZERO
(F-0) EVENT WITH MAXIMUM WINDS AROUND 115 KM/H.
|
2009 THUNDERSTORMS
LISTING
RED = Severe Thunderstorm Warning
YELLOW = Severe
Thunderstorm Watch |
| DATE |
TIME |
CLOUD
TOPS |
DESCRIPTION |
| Mar.7 |
19:31 |
35,000 |
Moderate rain, weak thunder |
| Apr.25 |
18:15 |
35,000 |
Strong winds before storm. *Large*
squall line passed through encompassing most of southern and
central Ontario. OPP-reported tornado in Algonquin Park,
hydro poles down in Toronto, 140km/hr wind gust reported.
Severe tstorm warning issued by E.C. at 18:03. Two
tornados confirmed during this outbreak (see tornado listing
below) |
| May.8 |
23:00 |
? |
|
| May.9 |
10:30 |
0 |
Severe thunderstorm warning issued. No
storm. |
| May.16 |
05:15 |
? |
Frequent thunder & lightning, moderate rain,
light wind. |
| May.28 |
17:55 |
30,000 |
Light rain, no wind. Weak thunder. |
| May.30 |
17:50 |
20,000 |
Weak thunder, moderate rain, brief moderate
to strong wind. |
| May.31 |
00:10 |
20,000 |
Weak thunder |
| Jun.8 |
23:45 |
30,000 |
Weak thunder, no wind/rain. |
| Jun.9 |
01:00 |
35,000 |
Moderate thunder/lightning. Light wind
and rain. |
| Jun.25 |
13:00 |
40,000 |
Strong winds with lower rotation as storm
approached, strong thunder/lightning, strong winds, small hail,
heavy downpours. Tornado touchdown in Simcoe area.
EC statement: "ONE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM SPAWNED A TORNADO NEAR
AVON..WEST OF TILLSONBURG..WHICH HAS BEEN CONFIRMED SO FAR BY A
DAMAGE SURVEY TEAM AS FUJITA SCALE 2 (181 TO 252 KM/H WIND
SPEED) ON THE FUJITA DAMAGE SCALE. THERE WAS LARGE HAIL REPORTED
AT A FEW LOCALES AS WELL."
Video 1,
Video 2 |
| 19:30 |
? |
Weak storm. Light thunder, no wind, no
rain. |
| Jun.26 |
09:40 |
30,000 |
Weak isolated cell |
| Jun.28 |
19:45 |
35,000 |
(non-severe) No winds, light rain, light
rumbling of thunder. |
| 20:30 |
35,000 |
Heavy downpours, frequent thunder/lightning.
Light wind. |
| Jun.29 |
13:00 |
25,000 |
Weak thunderstorms all afternoon (light rain,
no wind, minimal distant rumbling thunder) |
| 19:00 |
30,000 |
Moderate rain, light winds, moderate
thunder/lightning. |
| Jun.30 |
16:45 |
30,000 |
Dark cloud bases looked threatening, but was
actually a small and week cell. No wind/rain, light
rumbling thunder, no visible lightning. |
|
2009 TORNADO LISTING |
| DATE |
TIME |
LOCATION
-DESCRIPTION |
| Apr.25 |
PM |
(F0) WINDSOR -
NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF HANNA ST EAST AND LANGLOIS AVENUE IN
WINDSOR. IT DID MINOR ROOF DAMAGE TO A UNION HALL AND DEBRIS
FROM THE ROOF ALSO DID SOME DAMAGE TO HOMES TO THE SOUTHEAST OF
THE UNION HALL. THE TORNADO WAS RATED AS A FUJITA SCALE ZERO
EVENT WITH MAXIMUM WINDS AROUND 90 KILOMETRES PER HOUR. |
| Apr.25 |
18:30 |
(F0) OTTAWA - THERE WAS ONE SWATH OF DAMAGE
IN THE WEST END OF OTTAWA, FROM BRITTANIA PARK TOWARDS
CARLINGTON HEIGHTS (TOTAL LENGTH APPROX 5 KM) WHICH EXPERIENCED
INTERMITTENT SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. THE DAMAGE PATH RANGED FROM 50
METRES WIDE OVER THE WESTERN PART OF THE PATH TO NEAR 150 METRES
WIDE OVER THE EASTERN PART. FURTHERMORE, ONE EYEWITNESS NEAR THE
BRITTANIA YACHT CLUB REPORTS SEEING THREE WATERSPOUTS OVER THE
RIVER, ONE OF WHICH HEADED TOWARDS BRITTANIA BEACH. OTHER
WITNESSES ON MORISSET AVE. REPORTED SEEING FUNNEL CLOUDS AND
SWIRLING DEBRIS. THE COMBINATION OF THE DAMAGE TRACK AND
EYEWITNESS REPORTS IS SUFFICIENT FOR ENVIRONMENT CANADA TO
CONFIRM THE SECOND TORNADO OF THE SEASON FOR ONTARIO. (WHILE
THREE INDIVIDUAL WATERSPOUTS WERE SEEN OVER THE WATER, THIS WILL
BE TREATED AS ONE TORNADO EVENT.) THE TORNADO WAS RATED AS AN
UPPER END FUJITA SCALE ZERO (F-0) EVENT WITH MAXIMUM WINDS
AROUND 115 KM/H. |
| Jun.25 |
13:50 |
(F2) south of AVON -
(west of Tilsonburg) Roof removed from bungalow, damage path 4km
long. |
| 16:40 |
(F1) near Leamington
- barn destroyed |
| |
|
|
PICTURE OF THE MOMENT (email
me yours!) Previous photos here!
Photo by Fred V. (Hamilton, On) May.30, 2009 :
 |