List of Canadian tornadoes and tornado outbreaks

Contents

This page lists tornadoes and tornado outbreaks which have touched down in Canada. On average, there are around 80 confirmed and unconfirmed tornadoes that touch down in Canada each year. The most common types are F0 to F2 in damage intensity level and usually result in minor structural damage to barns, wood fences, roof shingles, chimneys, uprooted or snapped tree limbs and downed power lines. Less than 5% of tornadoes in Canada are rated F3 or higher in intensity, where windspeeds are in excess of 250 km/h. The Fujita Scale is used to rate tornado intensity, based on the damage to buildings and vegetation.

Of all the provinces, Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan average the most tornadoes per season, around 15, followed by Quebec with less than 10. New Brunswick and the interior of British Columbia are also recognized tornado zones. All other province and territories have significantly less threat from tornadoes. The peak season in Canada is in the summer months when clashing air masses move north, as opposed to the spring season in the United States southern-central plains, although tornadoes in Canada have occurred in spring, fall and in the most rarest of cases, winter.

The reported increase in numbers of tornadoes in recent years may reflect more reporting by citizens and media involvement rather than an actual increase in tornado occurrence (although some natural increase has not been ruled out), in addition to better detection technology i.e. Doppler weather radar and satellite imagery. The upswing could also be attributed to other factors, such as improved aerial and ground damage assessment after the fact in sparsely populated areas (particularly the case in remote parts of the Canadian Prairies and Northern Ontario, for example), better trained spotter capabilities and increased use of digital recording devices by citizens. Tornadoes in Canada are enough of a threat for a public warning system to be in place, overseen by the national weather agency, Environment Canada.

For a variety of reasons, such as Canada's lower population density and generally stronger housing construction due to the colder climate, Canadian tornadoes have historically caused far fewer fatalities than tornadoes in the United States. The deadliest tornado in Canadian history, the Regina Cyclone of June 30, 1912, does not even rank in the top 25 when compared to American tornado fatalities. Urban centres are not immune from the threat of severe tornadoes. Seven medium to large size Canadian cities were hit by significant strength tornadoes (F3 or higher) during the 20th century which caused large-scale damage and fatalities: in Regina (1912), Windsor twice (1946 and 1974), Sarnia (1953), Sudbury (1970), Woodstock (1979), Barrie (1985), and in Edmonton (1987).

Before 1880

1792

1829

1860

1870

1879

1880s

1880

1884

1885

1888

1889

The Bridgetown Cyclone, a fierce wind and rain storm, pummels New Brunswick with pea-sized hail. Several barns demolished by tornado.

1890s

1892

1898

1900s

1908

1909

1910s

1912

1913

1916

1919

1920s

1920

1922

1923

1926

1927

1930s

1935

1938

1939

1940s

1944

1946

1949

1950s

1950

1953

1954

1955

1958

1959

1960s

1962

1963

1966

1967

1968

1970s

1970

1972

1973

1974

1975

1977

1978

1979

1980s

1980

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990s

1990

1991

1992

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000s

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010s

2010

2011

See also

References

  1. ^ Environment Canada - Elie Tornado Upgraded to Highest Level on Damage Scale Canada's First Official F5 Tornado
  2. ^ The Weather Doctor - Weather Almanac for June 2008: Tornadoes in Canada
  3. ^ Public Safety Canada - Significant tornadoes of the 19th and 20th centuries
  4. ^ CBC News - Tornado touches down near Caroline and possible sightings near Edmonton's north end
  5. ^ CTV Calgary - Tornado touches down west of Edmonton
  6. ^ CBC News - Tornado hits New Brunswick
  7. ^ Environment Canada - Historical Tornado-Related Events
  8. ^ YouTube - Dramatic video captured by storm chasers
  9. ^ CTV Winnipeg - Manitoba tornado was strongest ever
  10. ^ CBC News - 'Moderate' risk of more tornadoes in Manitoba
  11. ^ CBC News - More tornadoes hit southern Manitoba
  12. ^ YouTube - Mildmay Ontario Tornado July 08 2007, www.stormchasing.ca
  13. ^ CBC News - Cupar-area farm believed destroyed by tornado
  14. ^ CTV Winnipeg- Two twisters touch down
  15. ^ CTV Winnipeg- Tornado spotted in southeastern Manitoba
  16. ^ CBC News - Tornado touches down near Manitoba town
  17. ^ CTV Edmonton - Tornado touches down southeast of Edmonton
  18. ^ Calgary Herald - Tornado touches near village
  19. ^ CTV Winnipeg - Twister touches down near Morris
  20. ^ CTV Edmonton - Twister the talk of the town in Viking
  21. ^ CTV Winnipeg- Tornados, wind, rain, and hail
  22. ^ CTV Edmonton - Tornado north of Calgary
  23. ^ CTV Winnipeg- Twister topples trees, sinks boats
  24. ^ CBC News - Tornado touches down in Manitoba
  25. ^ Montreal Gazette - Tornado hits Quebec's Saguenay region
  26. ^ CBC Regina - Severe storm wallops southern Saskatchewan
  27. ^ Canada.com - South Sask. ravaged by storms
  28. ^ YouTube - Storm Swirls Near Carlyle
  29. ^ YouTube - Carlyle, Saskatchewan Summer Storm & Damage
  30. ^ CTV Calgary - Tornado touches down during wild wind storm
  31. ^ Canada.com - Storm spawns twisters
  32. ^ CTV.ca - Rare waterspout forms in Montreal during storm
  33. ^ CBC News - 4 Sask. towns see twisters touch down
  34. ^ CTV Saskatoon - Twister strikes Saskatchewan, six injured
  35. ^ CTV Ottawa - Tornado causes severe damage in Ottawa region
  36. ^ Environment Canada - Ontario Weather Review
  37. ^ CTV Winnipeg - Funnel cloud spotted near Warren, MB
  38. ^ CTV Winnipeg - Spring's first major storm
  39. ^ Edmonton Journal - Tornado takes roof off barn
  40. ^ CTV Calgary - Storm near Provost sends debris crashing into ground
  41. ^ CBC News - Tornado causes crash near Provost
  42. ^ 'A' London - Tornado rips apart home
  43. ^ CBC Regina - Tornado destroys Sask. couple's farm buildings
  44. ^ CBC Regina - Tornado spotted near Red Deer
  45. ^ CBC Toronto - Tornado kills 2 at Canadian resort
  46. ^ Boisbriand News - F1 tornado confirmed
  47. ^ CBC Montreal - Quebec tornado strongest in 15 years
  48. ^ CBC Montreal - Helicopter crash kills 2 near Quebec town hit by tornado
  49. ^ The Windsor Star - Leamington Tornado coverage
  50. ^ CBC Regina - Twister damages farm
  51. ^ CBC Regina - Sask. tornado confirmed as F3
  52. ^ CTV Winnipeg - Province looks at improving weather warning system
  53. ^ CTV Montreal - Lightning strikes couple, tornado touches down in St. Lazare
  54. ^ The Windsor Star - Tornado touchdown confirmed in Amherstburg
  55. ^ CTV Toronto - First Tornado of 2011
  56. ^ Global Winnipeg - Tornado Touches Down near St. Adolphe
  57. ^ The Weather Network - Weak Tornado reported in Saskatchewan
  58. ^ CTV Ottawa - Storms hammer region
  59. ^ Global Saskatoon - Possible tornado touches down
  60. ^ CTV Calgary - Damage left behind as twister touched down near Innisfail
  61. ^ Calgary Herald - Amateur video clinches tornado classification
  62. ^ The Vancouver Sun - Saskatchewan towns hit by severe storm
  63. ^ The Weather Network - Tallying Canada's confirmed tornadoes
  64. ^ CBC Windsor - Tornado confirmed in Lambton County
  65. ^ CBC News - Heavy tornado damage in Lac Saint-Jean area
  66. ^ CP24 - Environment Canada confirms third tornado in Ontario
  67. ^ CBC.ca - Tornado touchdown confirmed in Trois-Rivières

External links