Microburst confirmed in Amherstburg, ON
Andrea Stockton, staff writer
June 25, 2010 — It wasn't a tornado that touched down in Amherstburg Wednesday, so what caused all the damage?
; RefreshAds('News Image Popup: User Action',document.getElementById('omniture_suiteid').value); "Tree completely uprooted")
Tree completely uprooted
It was an active night across much of Ontario Wednesday.
On Thursday, Environment Canada confirmed that two tornadoes touched down Wednesday night. One in Midland, which was rated an F2 on the Fujita scale and the other near Washago, rated an F1.
Storm damage in Amherstburg, which is just south of Windsor, suggested a possible tornado touchdown as well, but after asssessing the area, that wasn't the case.
“Environment Canada personnel (Friday) morning reviewed pictures taken from the ground survey that occurred (Thursday) and also looked at the radar information that was available in that area and it was determined that the most likely cause of the damage in the campground east of Amherstburg was due to very localized gusts of winds known as a microburst,” explains Environment Canada meteorologist Geoff Coulson.
Coulson adds that wind strength from the event is estimated to be between 120 and 140km/h, which is on the lower end of the Fujita one scale.
; RefreshAds('News Image Popup: User Action',document.getElementById('omniture_suiteid').value); "Trailers overturned")
Trailers overturned
It may not have been a tornado, but there was still significant damage none-the-less.
Trees were uprooted, trailers flipped over and parts of a shed were completely wrapped around a tree. We talked to Amherstburg resident Jerry Ouellette who reflects on the powerful storm.
“You could feel the pressure even inside the building, the pressure of the wind from the inside.”
Ouellette says tents and sheds were flying in the sky and the sounds were unforgettable. “It was like a train out of control and everything was just shattering.”
If you faced any damage from this storm, send us your photos or videos to our Your Weather Gallery.
With files from The Canadian Press.
Top Stories
Take your weather with you, no matter where you go.
Local forecasts delivered direct to your inbox.
Get instant forecasts and alerts, right on your computer.
- RSS & Data