Microburst destroys family's home in the Ottawa Valley
Digital Reporter
Monday, May 11, 2015, 9:52 AM - Environment Canada says the extreme wind event that destroyed a home and vehicle in Cobden, Ont. on Saturday was a microburst, not a tornado.
The Saturday windstorm picked up the Quinn family's 70-foot (21-metre) mobile home and brought it down on a nearby car, while they sheltered in a nearby barn.
The storm also reportedly brought heavy rain and golfball-sized hail.
"We couldn't see nothing, just hail hitting the coverall and wind and pieces flying through the air," Michael Quinn told the CBC.
#Microburst's path of destruction same as 2006 #F1Tornado. @environmentca says it's "bad luck" https://t.co/iW7H3ipsT3 pic.twitter.com/z57I6oCEVm
— Ashley Burke (@CBCAshleyBurke) May 11, 2015
The CBC reports another home down the road was damaged in the same storm.
A microburst occurs when a column of cold air descends very rapidly. The resulting winds can reach up to 270 km/h in extreme cases, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The past weekend was an active one for severe weather in Ontario. On Sunday, severe thunderstorm watches covered much of the southwest, with a handful being upgraded to full-fledged warnings as storms passed.
As for Monday, Environment Canada says there's a risk of severe thunderstorms in much of the southwest, and the agency says it's not ruling out the chance of an isolated tornado.
SOURCES: CBC | Ottawa Citizen | NOAA
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