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Three tornadoes and a waterspout confirmed after Wednesday's storms in Ontario

Friday, August 9, 2013, 7:40 AM -

Wednesday was a wild weather day across parts of Ontario as a line of severe thunderstorms rolled through. 

The storms developed late Wednesday afternoon from the Arthur area to Orillia to north of Minden. These thunderstorms tracked eastward and maintained their strength as they passed over the Haliburton area and portions of eastern Ontario, Environment Canada says. 

Several photos and videos of the storms were captured showing everything from funnel clouds to waterspouts and tornadoes. 

Based on these images as well as eye witness accounts, Environment Canada confirmed Ontario's twelfth, thirteenth and fourteenth tornadoes of the season.

CARNARVON

"Eyewitness accounts, localized damage and photographic evidence were used to confirm a tornado in the Carnarvon area north of Minden," Environment Canada says. 

This tornado has not yet been rated pending a damage investigation that will take place on Friday. 

Trees uprooted in Carnarvon area

ORILLIA

More photos and videos were also sent in near Orillia at 5 pm, including this one uploaded to Facebook by Emma Cote. "Just on my way to no frills!," she wrote. 

Environment Canada classified it as an EF-0 based on eye-witness accounts and localized damage.

ARTHUR

Storm chaser Dave Patrick was in the thick of the storms on Wednesday and captured this incredible video near Arthur at about 6:30 pm. It was later categorized as an EF-0 twister.

The Enhanced Fujita Scale estimates the wind associated with a tornado by the damage it causes and goes from zero (weakest) to five (strongest). Winds in an EF-0 tornado are between 90 and 130 km/h. 

"Eyewitness accounts and photographic evidence were also instrumental in confirming a waterspout over Head Lake in the northern Kawartha Lakes area Wednesday afternoon," Environment Canada adds. "At this point it appears the waterspout stayed over the lake and did not come onshore. If evidence comes to light that there was a track of damage onshore from this event then it would also be categorized as a tornado."

EC says they will continue to investigate the numerous storms from Wednesday afternoon and evening. 

An average tornado season in Ontario sees about 12 tornadoes each year. The total so far now stands at 14 with the summer severe weather season usually lasting until early October.