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Chase Logs

1987  Edmonton F4
1985  Barrie - Dual F4's

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.


BIG SITE NEWS !
This site will soon be switching over to a forum-based layout.  This will provide a MUCH better structure to everything.  Over the years with all the additions of info, pictures, etc.. it has become a bit of a navigational nightmare.  The BEST part about the new layout, is that YOU will be able to share YOUR pictures and videos with everyone else who visits the site!
  Over the past decade many people have been emailing me their photos and information, which I have to in turn fire up the web editor, add everything, create the links, etc, etc.  This will now be able to be done by the actual persons themselves.  Please bare with me during the transition!

LATEST UPDATE:  AUG.22 - THUNDERSTORMS BRING TORRENTIAL RAINS

I went out on a short chase into Niagara on the Lake this afternoon after noticing a nice cell coming through on radar.  Video captures below:

Click here to watch video


AUG.21 - CONFIRMED F2 TORNADOS

Environment Canada has confirmed multiple tornados from the event that took place Aug.20  See the tornado table listing at the bottom of this page for info.


AUG.20 - TORNADOS ACROSS SOUTHERN/CENTRAL ONTARIO

 

VIDEO HERE

One dead after tornado touchdown in Durham (town) at Durham Conservation Area

Multiple tornados reported in Rutherford / Hwy.400 area.  EMS on scene.

Roofs ripped off buildings, Hwy.7 & Martingrove area

6:25PM - Tornado reported on the ground near Vaughan Mills shopping center

Video of damage in Vaughan, ON :


AUG.13 - STORM DAMAGE FROM LAKESIDE, ON

Description from Bexel 99: "Lakeside is 30 minutes northeast of London, Ontario, 15 minutes south east of St. Mary's and 18 minutes southwest of Stratford. The eye of the storm went over a comunity in Lakeside called Treetops. Here are a few picutures. Power was out all day Sunday and most of Monday. There was over 30 power lines down. Over 20 homes were affected."

More Lakeside, ON damage, courtesy: Mark S. :

2009 THUNDERSTORMS LISTING
(St. Catharines, ON)
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 [non-server - no storm] 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.
Jul.6 13:45 30,000 Nice isolated cell popped up with clear skies around it.  Strong very close "canon" thunder, brief torrential downpour, strong wind.
Jul.11 09:10 35,000 [non-severe]  Heavy rain, light wind, strong thunder/lightning.
18:15 40,000 [non-server - no storm] Intense storm off north shore of St. Catharines, showing purples on doppler, very picturesque Cb build-up.  Weak thunder as the storm was miles away.
Jul.21 14:50 25,000 Light rain, no wind, weak thunder, no visible lightning
Jul.22 21:30 25,000 Moderate lightning, little thunder, moderate wind, very heavy rainfall.
Jul.23 13:30 35,000 Lots of thunder, no wind, no rain (storm was off to the SE a bit but thunder of it could be heard continuously)
Jul.26 19:05 35,000 Hail (pea to marble size), frequent lightning, loud thunder.  Brief storm.
Jul.29 14:30 30,000 Moderate rain, the odd clap of thunder, no wind.
Aug.04 21:30 45,000 [non-severe] Moderate to heavy rain, no wind, moderate thunder/lightning.
Aug.09 11:45 50,000 Moderate thunder, moderate to heavy rain.  Lots of localized rotation in cloud bases.
21:00 50,000 Strongest t-storm in years.  Continuous lightning/thunder, horizontal rain, high wind gusts, torrential downpours.
Aug.10 16:20 35,000 Localized cell with sunny skies all around except overhead.  Light rain, light thunder (except one huge crack/boom)
Aug.11 18:20 40,000 One rumble of thunder.  No wind, no rain.
Aug.20 19:35 45,000 TORNADO WARNING.  Moderate thunder/lightning, very low clouds with rotation showing on radar.  This storm system produced numerous tornados across southern Ontario, killing one in Durham (town) and a significant F2 in Vaughan which flipped cars and trucks, and caused damage to over 600 homes, many of which had to be demolished.
Aug.22 10:00 30,000 Torrential downpours, gusty wind.  Moderate thunder.
  13:30 30,000 Torrential downpours, dark and very low clouds, light thunder/lightning.

2009 ONTARIO TORNADO LISTING

DATE TIME LOCATION -DESCRIPTION
Apr.25 PM (F0) LEAMINGTON - 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.

Apr.25 afternoon (F0) GUELPH - THE TORNADO HAD A PATH OF INTERMITTENT DAMAGE ABOUT 1.5 KM LONG AND ABOUT 50 METRES WIDE.
Jun.25 13:50 (F2) south of AVON - (west of Tilsonburg) Roof removed from bungalow, damage path 4km long.  Info: 'The tornado warning issued Thursday for southwestern Ontario became more than a warning for a surprised Tillsonburg man.  Richard Smith, 29, spotted the tornado in the early afternoon while driving along rural Avon Drive in the vicinity of Belmont. Smith saw the dark funnel cloud only moments after the tornado ripped through a nearby house.  "It took out the house pretty much completely," Smith said. "There were full-grown trees being ripped right out of the ground."  Describing the tornado as having almost a "lightning-bolt" shape, Smith recounted "white clouds" near the funnel's base that were "throwing up all kinds of stuff." Driving by the flattened home, Smith saw an uninjured elderly woman standing outside the wreck. There was also a report of a barn being destroyed just north of the home -- about 15 kilometres west of Tillsonburg along Prouse Road -- but, again, no one was injured.  This tornado wasn't the only twister to touch down in the region. Another funnel cloud ripped the roof from an Elgin County home while a startled woman was washing her hair in the bathroom.'
16:40 (F1) near Leamington - barn destroyed
Jul.3  
(F0) VERONA IN SOUTH FRONTENAC WHICH IS ABOUT 30 KM NORTH OF KINGSTON. THE TORNADO ONLY EXISTED BRIEFLY DOING MINOR DAMAGE TO ITEMS AROUND A HOME IN THIS AREA
Jul.9
  (F1) - NORTH OF EAR FALLS AND CAUSED A 25 KM LONG SWATH OF TREE DAMAGE, FROM EAST TO WEST ACROSS WENESAGA LAKE ABOUT 5-10 KM NORTH OF EAR FALLS. IT IS BEING RATED AS A FUITA SCALE ONE (F1) EVENT WITH PEAK WINDS BETWEEN 120 AND 170 KM/H.
21:30 (F2) LAC SEUL - south of Ear Falls - killed 2 visitors from Oklahoma (of all places!)  3 fatalities, 5 injuries, 2 cabins destroyed, significant tree damage.  [edit - added info]: THE LAC SEUL TORNADO (SOUTH OF EAR FALLS) WHICH WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THREE FATALITIES AT A FISHING RESORT ACTUALLY OCCURRED SECOND, ABOUT ONE HOUR LATER. IT IS STILL RATED A FUJITA SCALE TWO EVENT, WITH PEAK WINDS BETWEEN 180 AND 240 KM/H.  VIDEO ON THIS PAGE
Aug.20   (F2) 5km SW of DURHAM to MARKDALE - Significant house and trailer damage, tree damage, etc.
  (F2) S of THORNBURY to SE of THORNBURY -
  (F2) WOODBRIDGE/VAUGHAN - several KM long, 50+ meters wide.  Houses destroyed beyond repair, cars and trucks flipped upside down, hundreds of houses damaged.
  (F1) NEWMARKET - hockey arena almost destroyed
  (F0) GRAVENHURST - Path about 10km long and up to 1km wide
  (F?) ARNSTEIN TO RESTOULE TO NORTH BAY - waterspout tornado
  (F1) MILTON - damage to roofs
  REDSTONE LAKE - roofs off, trees down in all directions and witnesses all reporting tornado

PICTURE OF THE MOMENT (email me yours!)  Previous photos here!
Thanks to Pete P. who shot this in Kingston, ON (Aug.11, 2009) :