Environment Canada confirms EF2 tornado was part of deadly Ontario storm
Environment Canada has confirmed that an EF2 tornado touched down in Uxbridge on Saturday as a powerful weather system made its way through Ontario, tearing apart homes and knocking out power to thousands of people.
In a tweet, Western University's Northern Tornadoes Project said the May 21 tornado in Uxbridge was the first wind event in Canada to cause EF2 damage in 2022.
In an update posted Tuesday evening, Environment Canada said the group’s data has officially confirmed that an EF2 tornado was embedded within the leading edge of a derecho, which is a widespread and long-lived windstorm associated with a line of thunderstorms.
Environment Canada said the derecho developed near Sarnia late Saturday morning and tracked northeastward over Southern Ontario, crossing Ottawa Saturday afternoon.
- Download our app to get local alerts to your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
“Damaging wind gusts were reported over a large swath of Southern Ontario as the severe thunderstorms raced through,” Environment Canada said. “After a preliminary analysis of the extensive damage in Uxbridge, Ontario, Western University's Northern Tornadoes Project Team has officially confirmed an EF2 tornado was embedded within the leading edge of the derecho.”
The agency said the tornado occurred near 1:15 p.m. on Saturday afternoon in Uxbridge and was found to have a maximum wind speed of 195 kilometres per hour.
Speaking with CP24, Environment Canada Warning Preparedness Meteorologist Gerald Cheng said the agency detected winds of just 46 kilometres per hour in Sarnia when the storms first tracked into Ontario from Michigan, but they eventually realized a mobile alert was needed as the storm picked up.
“We still issued a severe thunderstorm warning, but what really prompted us to make sure that those severe thunderstorm warnings were part of Alert Ready (warning system) was when we saw the wind gusts at the Kitchener Waterloo Airport; 132 kilometers per hour. At that wind speed up to 20 per cent of your shingles could be gone.”
Cheng said the wind speeds increased very quickly, leaving a small window to notify people.
“When we look at the wind speeds at 12:52 that day Saturday, Pearson reported gusts of 72 kilometres per hour — it’s a windy day. By 1 p.m., 120 kilometers per hour. So that escalated really quickly.
“We issued a warning for the City of Toronto at 12:45. But you can see the lead time wasn't much for people to take cover.”
The violent weather system left 10 people dead, caused extensive damage to trees and buildings and knocked out power to more than 1 million hydro customers in Ontario.
In a news release Tuesday, the City of Toronto said its cleanup efforts related to the storm remain ongoing. It said crews worked through the weekend to respond to storm service requests and that more than 2,900 requests have been received since Saturday.
“As of today, all available resources remain assigned to clean-up work, and there are a total of 45 crews out with cranes, bucket trucks and ground equipment,” they city said. “Crews prioritize responding to hazards to public safety or property. They are clearing roads as well as assisting Toronto Hydro by clearing trees from hydro lines.”
The city said it could still take several weeks to complete non-emergency cleanup work.
A number of municipalities have declared states of emergency, including Whitby, Ajax, Pickering, and Uxbridge.
Cheng noted that severe thunderstorm alerts were only added to the provincial “Alert Ready” system last June and said that while the alerts are useful tools, people need to remain vigilant about the changing weather conditions around them.
“Alerts don't get everybody. Your phone may be off. You may not be watching TV or listening to the radio interrupting broadcasts,” he said. “So it's so important that you know Mother Nature gives us clues, that when the conditions are deteriorating, don't wait for the alert. Take cover and seek shelter immediately, and stay away from tall objects like trees and power poles because they can fall on us.”
He said more outreach is necessary to make sure people remain alert about dangerous weather.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests about relationship with Prince Harry
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
Trial begins for Winnipeg serial killer who claims he was mentally ill
The trial of a man who admits he killed four women in Winnipeg is set to begin Wednesday, and a law professor says lawyers for Jeremy Skibicki have multiple hurdles to clear for a defence of mental illness.
These adults born in the '90s partnered with their parents to buy homes in Ontario
An Ontario woman said it would have been impossible to buy a house without her mother – an anecdote that animates the fact that over 17 per cent of Canadian homeowners born in the ‘90s own their property with their parents, according to a new report.
New Canadian study could be a lifesaver for thousands suffering from CTE
A first-of-its-kind Canadian research study is working towards a major medical breakthrough for a brain disorder, believed to be caused by repeated head injuries, that can only be detected after death.
Rape, terror and death at sea: How a boat carrying Rohingya children, women and men capsized
In March, Indonesian officials and local fishermen rescued 75 people from the overturned hull of a boat off the coast of Indonesia. Until now, little was known about why the boat capsized.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.