List of Canadian tornadoes and tornado outbreaks

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, with most occurring in southern Ontario, the southern Prairies and southern Quebec. Canada ranks as the second country in the world with the most tornadoes per year, after the US. 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. Fewer than 5% of tornadoes in Canada are rated F3 or higher in intensity, where wind speeds are in excess of 250 km/h. As in the US, the Enhanced Fujita Scale is used to rate tornado intensity, based on the damage to buildings and vegetation.

Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan average the most tornadoes per season, around 15, followed by Quebec with fewer than 10. New Brunswick and the interior of British Columbia are also recognised tornado zones. All other provinces 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 very rarely 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. Nine medium to large size Canadian cities have been hit by significant strength tornadoes (F3 or higher), which caused large-scale damage and fatalities: Regina, Saskatchewan (1912); Windsor, Ontario (1946 and 1974); Sarnia, Ontario (1953); Sudbury, Ontario (1970); Woodstock, Ontario (1979); London, Ontario (1984); Barrie, Ontario (1985); Edmonton, Alberta (1987); and Goderich, Ontario (2011).

This is an incomplete list that may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.

Before 1880

1792

1829

1860

1870

1879

1880s

1880

1884

1885

1888

1890s

1892

1898

1900s

1909

1910s

1912

1915

1918

1920s

1920

1922

1923

1926

1927

1930s

1935

1936

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

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990s

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000s

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010s

2010

2011

2011 Confirmed Tornadoes
BC AB SK MB ON QC NB
0 1 1 0 14 3 0

2012

2012 Confirmed Tornadoes
BC AB SK MB ON QC NB
0 7 23 0 9 6 0

2013

2013 Confirmed Tornadoes
BC AB SK MB ON QC NB
0 4 13 5 22 4 1

2014

2014 Confirmed Tornadoes
BC AB SK MB ON QC NB
0 3 6 4 19 7 0

See also

References

  1. The Weather Doctor's Diary: June - 30 June 1792, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
  2. The New York Times - "Tornados" Published July 17, 1870
  3. The Weather Doctor's Diary: June - 6 June 1888, Southwestern Quebec
  4. The Weather Doctor - Canada's Deadliest Tornadoes
  5. The Standard - The day of destruction in Merritton
  6. Papers Past - Tornado in Canada
  7. Edmonton Journal - Jul 7, 1965 - Tornado Barely Misses Calgary
  8. F3 & F4 Tornadoes in Saskatchewan - July 6, 1935
  9. - The Montreal Gazette - Jul 7, 1936
  10. Environment Canada - Windsor Tornado
  11. Winnipeg Free Press - Storm Kills Man
  12. The Calgary Herald, Jun 13, 1966 - Small Tornado Hits Near Nanton
  13. Hay Township History - 1960's
  14. CBC Digital Archives - Freak tornado kills 6 in Sudbury
  15. The Calgary Herald - Alberta farms hit by tornado
  16. When the Tornado hit Brighton
  17. CBC Digital Archives - 1974 Windsor Tornado
  18. Toledo Blade, July 24, 1975 - Tornado kills 3 in Quebec
  19. Environment Canada - Elie tornado upgraded
  20. The Weather Doctor - Significant Weather Events, July 30, 1978
  21. Canadian Prairie Storms - Tornado Fatalities in Sask.
  22. Thunderstorm Disasters in Canada - August 8, 1979
  23. "A Fling with Terror". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  24. The Atlas of Canada - Photograph of a Tornado, July 8, 1983 Blackfoot, Alberta
  25. 25.0 25.1 Summary and Highlights of 1984 Severe Local Storm Season - The Quebec Region
  26. Summary and Highlights of 1985 Severe Local Storm Season - The Ontario Region
  27. 27.0 27.1 Summary and Highlights of 1986 Severe Local Storm Season - The Ontario Region
  28. Edmonton Journal, Jul 27, 1986 - Funnel sightings spur tornado warning
  29. The Montreal Gazette, Aug. 6, 1986 - Twister Tragedy
  30. The Leader Post - Tornadoes strike in Southern Alberta
  31. The Leader Post - Tornadoes touch down in Alberta
  32. Summary and Highlights of 1986 Severe Local Storm Season - The Central Region
  33. 1987 Quebec Tornadoes
  34. "The Edmonton Tornado - Environment Canada (archive.org)". Archived from the original on 2002-11-15.
  35. Elgin County Archives - 1990 tornado
  36. Canadian Disaster Database - 1991 Sarnia Tornado
  37. Significant tornadoes of the 19th and 20th centuries - 1991 Quebec Tornado
  38. http://www.criacc.qc.ca/climat/suivi/tornade_f.html
  39. Public Safety Canada – Significant tornadoes of the 19th and 20th centuries
  40. CBC News - Rancher survives tornado
  41. Alberta Emergency Management Agency - Review of some of the disaster events in Alberta since 1986
  42. CBC News – Tornado touches down near Caroline and possible sightings near Edmonton's north end
  43. CTV Calgary – Tornado touches down west of Edmonton
  44. University of Manitoba - The Vulcan tornado of June 13, 2004
  45. Government of Alberta - CTV News report Vulcan tornado 2004
  46. CBC Alberta - Alberta cleaning up from Tornado
  47. DSLReports.com Forum - EC Confirms Tornado
  48. Wild weather spawns tornadoes
  49. CBC News – Tornado hits New Brunswick
  50. Environment Canada – Historical Tornado-Related Events
  51. CTV Winnipeg – Manitoba tornado was strongest ever
  52. Environment Canada – Elie Tornado Upgraded to Highest Level on Damage Scale Canada's First Official F5 Tornado
  53. CBC News – 'Moderate' risk of more tornadoes in Manitoba
  54. CBC News – More tornadoes hit southern Manitoba
  55. Environment Canada - Canada's Top Ten Weather Stories for 2007
  56. The Weather Doctor - Individual Tornado Events and Oddities
  57. CBC News – Cupar-area farm believed destroyed by tornado
  58. CTV Winnipeg- Two twisters touch down
  59. CTV Winnipeg- Tornado spotted in southeastern Manitoba
  60. CBC News – Tornado touches down near Manitoba town
  61. Environment Canada - Ontario Weather Review June 2008
  62. CTV Edmonton – Tornado touches down southeast of Edmonton
  63. Calgary Herald – Tornado touches near village
  64. CTV Winnipeg – Twister touches down near Morris
  65. Environment Canada - June 2008 Weather Review
  66. CTV Edmonton – Twister the talk of the town in Viking
  67. CTV Winnipeg- Tornados, wind, rain, and hail
  68. CTV Edmonton – Tornado north of Calgary
  69. CTV Winnipeg- Twister topples trees, sinks boats
  70. CBC News – Tornado touches down in Manitoba
  71. Montreal Gazette – Tornado hits Quebec's Saguenay region
  72. CBC Regina – Severe storm wallops southern Saskatchewan
  73. Canada.com – South Sask. ravaged by storms
  74. CTV Calgary – Tornado touches down during wild wind storm
  75. Canada.com – Storm spawns twisters
  76. CTV.ca – Rare waterspout forms in Montreal during storm
  77. CBC News – 4 Sask. towns see twisters touch down
  78. CTV Saskatoon – Twister strikes Saskatchewan, six injured
  79. CTV Ottawa – Tornado causes severe damage in Ottawa region
  80. Environment Canada – Ontario Weather Review
  81. CTV Winnipeg – Funnel cloud spotted near Warren, MB
  82. CTV Winnipeg – Spring's first major storm
  83. Edmonton Journal – Tornado takes roof off barn
  84. CTV Calgary – Storm near Provost sends debris crashing into ground
  85. CBC News – Tornado causes crash near Provost
  86. 'A' London – Tornado rips apart home
  87. CBC Regina – Tornado destroys Sask. couple's farm buildings
  88. CBC Regina – Tornado spotted near Red Deer
  89. CBC Toronto – Tornado kills 2 at Canadian resort
  90. Boisbriand News – F1 tornado confirmed
  91. CBC Montreal – Quebec tornado strongest in 15 years
  92. CBC Montreal – Helicopter crash kills 2 near Quebec town hit by tornado
  93. The Windsor Star – Leamington Tornado coverage
  94. CBC Regina – Twister damages farm
  95. CBC Regina – Sask. tornado confirmed as F3
  96. CTV Winnipeg – Province looks at improving weather warning system
  97. CTV Montreal – Lightning strikes couple, tornado touches down in St. Lazare
  98. CTV Toronto – First Tornado of 2011
  99. The Weather Network – Weak Tornado reported in Saskatchewan
  100. CTV Ottawa – Storms hammer region
  101. Maple Creek News - Tornado strikes Fox Valley
  102. CTV Calgary – Damage left behind as twister touched down near Innisfail
  103. CBC News Calgary - Tornado hit southwest Calgary
  104. Northern Pride - Storm aftermath in photos
  105. The Weather Network – Tallying Canada's confirmed tornadoes
  106. CBC Windsor – Tornado confirmed in Lambton County
  107. CBC News – Heavy tornado damage in Lac Saint-Jean area
  108. CP24 – Environment Canada confirms third tornado in Ontario
  109. CBC.ca – Tornado touchdown confirmed in Trois-Rivières
  110. The Peterborough Examiner - Orono funnel cloud was likely an F0 Tornado
  111. CTVNews.ca - Tornadoes cause millions in damage in Quebec
  112. CBC News - Tornado Confirmed east of Ottawa
  113. The Weather Network - Tornadoes touch down in southern Alberta
  114. The Weather Network - F1 tornado touchdown in Huntingdon, Quebec
  115. CBC News Calgary - Landspout tornado reported near Stettler, Alta.
  116. The Weather Network - Eight confirmed tornadoes hit west-central Saskatchewan
  117. The Weather Network - EC confirms tornado passed near Sioux Lookout on June 18
  118. Global News Edmonton - EC gets 500 reports of tornadoes in 36 hours
  119. CBC News - Tornadoes touch down in Saskatchewan
  120. The Vancouver Sun - Tornado touches down near Olds, Alberta
  121. The Calgary Herald - Storms hitting southern Alberta harder than usual, experts say
  122. CBC News Ottawa - 2 tornadoes touched down amid eastern Ontario storms
  123. Global Saskatoon - At least 3 confirmed tornadoes in Saskatchewan
  124. Environment Canada - F0 Tornado in Embro
  125. The Weather Network - 5 tornadoes touch down in Saskatchewan
  126. Prairie Storm Tranquillity - Dogpound, Alberta Supercell and Tornado
  127. CBC News Montreal - Tornado touches down in Drummondville
  128. CKWS News Kingston - Odessa Tornado
  129. The Weather Network - Ontario's 9th tornado of the year confirmed
  130. The Weather Network - Weak Tornado Strikes Quebec
  131. CP24 - Environment Canada: Tornado hit Shelburne, Ont.
  132. The Weather Network - EC Confirms Ontario's 2nd Tornado of 2013
  133. Global News Toronto - E.C. Confirms 2 more Tornadoes in Ontario
  134. The Weather Network - Fifth tornado of season touches down in Ontario
  135. CBC News - Family encounters tornado near Maple Creek, Sask.
  136. CBC News - Tornado spotted near Bredenbury, Sask.
  137. Edmonton Journal - Tornado warning sends people scrambling to safety
  138. CTV News Toronto - Tornado spotted outside Barrie
  139. News Talk 650 - Tornado touches down near Shaunavon
  140. The Weather Network - Weak tornado reported in Quebec
  141. CTV Winnipeg - Possible tornado destroys property, unroots trees
  142. CBC News Saskatchewan - More tornadoes possible in Sask.
  143. The Weather Network - Seven possible tornadoes spotted in Saskatchewan
  144. CBC Manitoba- Tornado confirmed at Manitoba First Nation, 2 injured
  145. CBC News - Tornado may have caused 7km of bush damage
  146. 146.0 146.1 146.2 Global News Toronto - Environment Canada updates 2013 Ontario tornado count
  147. CBC News - Tornado winds hit 175 km/h, Environment Canada determines
  148. CTV Winnipeg - Tornado confirmed near Boissevain
  149. Global News Winnipeg - Environment Canada confirms tornado south of Winnipeg
  150. CBC Ottawa - Tornado touched down in Ottawa
  151. 1310 News Radio - Environment Canada confirms Ontario’s 11th tornado
  152. CTV News Kitchener - Environment Canada confirms three tornadoes
  153. Global News Toronto - Three more tornadoes confirmed in Ontario
  154. Environment Canada - Canada's Top Ten Weather Stories for 2013 in Quebec
  155. The Weather Network - Environment Canada confirms Quebec's fourth tornado
  156. CTV Kitchener - Environment Canada confirms two long weekend tornadoes near Fergus
  157. The Weather Network - Ontario's first tornado of 2014 season confirmed
  158. CTV London - Second tornado near Listowel confirmed by Environment Canada
  159. The Weather Network - Quebec's first tornado of the season confirmed
  160. CTV Calgary - Alberta's first tornado of 2014 touches down near Gleichen
  161. CTV News Barrie - Tornado tears through Angus neighbourhood
  162. The Weather Network - Ontario's fourth tornado of the season confirmed
  163. Orangeville Banner - Environment Canada confirms tornado landed in Amaranth
  164. CTV News Barrie - Environment Canada surveys tornado damage in New Tecumseth
  165. The Weather Network - Tornado touches down in southern Alberta
  166. Global News Toronto - Seventh tornado of Ontario's storm season confirmed
  167. The Weather Network - Quebec's second tornado of the year confirmed
  168. CTV News Winnipeg - Tornado touches down in Hartney, Man. Saturday evening
  169. Global News Saskatoon - Environment Canada confirms EF2 tornado south of Saskatoon
  170. The Weather Network - Four more tornadoes confirmed in Ontario this season
  171. The Weather Network - Two more tornadoes confirmed in Quebec
  172. 172.0 172.1 Global News Toronto - Four more tornadoes confirmed in Ontario
  173. The Weather Network - Tornadoes spotted in Manitoba
  174. CTV Kitchener - Environment Canada confirms tornado touches down in Grand Bend
  175. Montreal Gazette - Tornado strikes Pont-Rouge west of Quebec City; no injuries
  176. The Weather Network - Ontario's thirteenth tornado of the season confirmed
  177. The Weather Network - Two tornadoes confirmed in Windsor Ontario
  178. The Weather Network - Ontario's sixteenth tornado of the season confirmed
  179. CTV News Barrie - Tornado confirmed on Christian Island
  180. Orrilia Packet and Times - Tracking Udney's Twister
  181. The Hamilton Spectator - Environment Canada confirms tornado hit Sheffield

External links