| Edmonton Tornado of 1987 | |
| The tornado crossing over the North Saskatchewan River | |
| Date: | July 31, 1987 |
| Time: | 3:25 p.m. MDT (2125 UTC) |
| Rating: | F4 tornado |
| Damages: | $586.7 Million (2011 CAD)[1] |
| Casualties: | 27 |
| Area affected: | Edmonton, Strathcona County, Sherwood Park |
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The Edmonton Tornado, an event also known as Black Friday to Edmontonians, was a powerful and devastating tornado that ripped through the eastern part of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and parts of neighbouring Strathcona County on the afternoon of Friday, July 31, 1987.
The tornado remained on the ground for an hour, cutting a swath of destruction 40 kilometres (25 mi) long and up to a kilometre (0.6 miles, or 3000 feet) wide in places, and peaking at F4[2] on the Fujita scale, but may have briefly become an F5.[3] The tornado killed 27 people, injured more than 300 people, destroyed more than 300 homes, and caused more than $332.27 million CAD ($586.7 million in 2011 CAD) in property damage at four major disaster sites. The loss of life, injuries and destruction of property made it the worst natural disaster in Alberta's recent history and one of the worst in Canada's history.
Weather forecasts issued during the morning and early afternoon of July 31, 1987 for Edmonton revealed a recognition by Environment Canada of a high potential for unusually severe thunderstorms that afternoon. Environment Canada responded swiftly upon receipt of the first report of a tornado touchdown from a resident of Leduc County which is immediately adjacent to Edmonton's southern boundary.
This tornado has been under scrutiny by Environment Canada during the last couple of years, as to whether or not it could be considered for an F5 rating. If done this would make it the earliest such tornado since records have been kept, next to the Elie, Manitoba tornado. The tornado's maximum recorded wind speed was 416 km/h (258 mph). The wind speed for a F5 tornado is 419 km/h (260 mph).[3]
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The following is a chronology of events that occurred on July 31, 1987.
While municipal emergency agencies, fire departments, ambulance and police were responding, Canada's Department of National Defence placed helicopters and ambulances on standby at the Canadian Forces Base, Edmonton, and provided reconnaissance flights for the City of Edmonton and the deputy prime minister.
At the onset of the storm Emergency Preparedness Canada established contact with the Government of Alberta Emergency Response Centre. EPC established a liaison office at the response centre at approximately 1800 hours that same day.
As emergency personnel responded to the industrial area, potential threats from dangerous goods came to light. Alberta's Compliance Information Centre dispatched its dangerous goods inspectors and the provincial environmental response team to the area.
The emergent post-disaster response period lasted for approximately three weeks including immediate disaster assistance for victims. At the end of August 1987 details of the overall damage costs were gathered and the Government of Alberta announced an extensive disaster recovery program with the assistance of the Government of Canada.
The Emergency Public Warning System was developed as a result of the 1987 Tornado Disaster. The warning system breaks into private and public broadcasts on radio, television and cable systems. It alerts the public for all disaster hazards that threaten to strike with little or no warning. The warning system is also used for issuing Amber Alerts.[4]
| Rank | Name (location) | Date | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Regina Cyclone | June 30, 1912 | ≥28 | |
| 2 | Edmonton Tornado | July 31, 1987 | 27 | |
| 3 | Windsor–Tecumseh, Ontario tornado | June 17, 1946 | 17 | |
| 4 | Pine Lake Tornado | July 14, 2000 | 12 | |
| =5 | Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Quebec Windsor, Ontario tornado |
August 16, 1888 April 3, 1974 |
9 9 |
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| 7 | Barrie, Ontario tornado | May 31, 1985 | 8 | |
| =8 | Sudbury, Ontario tornado Sainte-Rose, Quebec tornado |
August 20, 1970 June 8, 1953 |
6 6 |
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| =10 | Bouctouche, New Brunswick tornado Portage la Prairie, Manitoba tornado |
August 6, 1879 June 22, 1922 |
5 5 |
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Sources: Environment Canada (PDF) |
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