Thursday, July 23rd 2020, 9:29 am - Sunday's severe storms caused widespread damage to structures and trees, with seven confirmed tornadoes so far.
Sunday's long line of severe thunderstorms produced at least seven confirmed tornadoes in southern Ontario.
On Wednesday, investigators at the Western University-based Northern Tornadoes Project (NTP) confirmed a sixth and seventh twister from the storms, in what NTP called an outbreak. The Sunday total includes 6 tornadoes and one waterspout.
The sixth tornado was rated EF-1, occurring in the Blythe area with maximum wind speeds of 135 km/h and a preliminary track length of 6.7 km. There was also an EF-0 downburst in the Brussels/Cranbrook area.
The team also verified an EF-1 tornado in the Lambton Shores area, east-northeast of Sarnia. It had maximum wind speeds of 155 km/h and a preliminary track length of 15.4 km.
On Tuesday night, the team confirmed a fifth tornado occurred, causing EF-1 damage at Gads Hill. It had maximum wind speeds of 150 km/h with a preliminary track length of 4.2 km. It resulted in damage to a farm and trees.
Sunday's tornadoes were spawned from an intense line of storms that rocketed through southwestern Ontario toward the GTA's western edge late morning and early afternoon.
Regarding the other twisters, investigators say an EF-1 tornado struck north of Lucan, with a preliminary track length of 2.4 km and maximum winds of 135 km/h. Several farm structures in the area were badly damaged, as were some trees.
Farm damage near Lucan, Ont. Photo: Mark Robinson
A downburst was also reported near the site, with EF-0-equivalent wind strength.
Elsewhere, damage to roof shingles and trees in the Belmont area also suggested a tornado was present. That twister was given a rating of EF-0, with a preliminary track length of 9.3 km and maximum wind gusts of 125 km/h.
Another EF-1 tornado spun through Beachville, a town near Woodstock. The EF-1 rating was given due to the tree damage caused by the heavy winds. The wind speeds were clocked at a max of 150 km/h. The track length is estimated to have been 2.8 km, with the tornado's width pegged at 100 metres.
A waterspout was also spotted on Lake Huron, just offshore of Brights Grove, a town north of Sarnia. There is no evidence it came ashore, and no reported damages, thus given an EF-0 ranking.
Ontario's confirmed tornado count is now at 18, above the 12-13 annual average. Seven of those twisters came from the June 10 outbreak.
The storms that produced these tornadoes were fuelled by the intense humidity of the past weekend coming into contact with a passing cold front beginning late Sunday morning. Tornado warnings followed these storms for around two hours, reaching into the western GTA at one point before ending.
Even in areas that weren't tornado-warned, severe thunderstorms caused major damage to homes, farms and other structures, as well as trees and hydro poles, causing tens of thousands of power outages.
Below is a look at some of the damage from the storms.
Significant damage here just north of Lucan. @weathernetwork @westernuNTP #onstorm pic.twitter.com/d5a9dAdBm8
— Mark Robinson (@StormhunterTWN) July 20, 2020
Storm damage in Bayfield ON @theweathernetwork#bayfield #ONstorm #GrandBend pic.twitter.com/81V4j58zK9
— Valerie Wald (@Wheres00Waldo) July 19, 2020
Here are some more pictures of what we are helping @HydroOne with on Old Walnut Road in Alvinston. #staysafe pic.twitter.com/Eb1cO0lMCO
— Bluewater Power (@BluewaterPower) July 19, 2020
#ONStorm swept through #Guelph - yikes - sorry about the #tesla tho pic.twitter.com/Gj5fqnOPUU
— Kate Revington (@KateRevGuelph) July 19, 2020
So this happened around 11:15am
— Lianne Young (@LianneYoung7) July 19, 2020
So grateful nobody was hurt but trees down and my newly constructed garden was flattened 😩#Kirkton #ONStorm pic.twitter.com/RUhl9exj8c
Flash flooding in Lakeshore, Ont. Photo: Nicole Trealout.
things got a little tipsy in #ldnont #ONStorm @weathernetwork @LFPress @AM980News #TORNADOWARNING pic.twitter.com/Dh1X7WFole
— Dee ❤ (@finegal) July 19, 2020
Ingersoll #ONStorm pic.twitter.com/GKWnnneFY9
— Keegan Boissoneau (@Keegz_006) July 19, 2020
Storm damage from my friend in Arthur, ON, which had a tornado warning earlier today. Everyone safe, damage only to property and equipement. “We can rebuild and replace,” he says. A reminder to stay safe and keep these storms seriously. pic.twitter.com/g30jCMQonq
— Matt Di Nicolantonio 😷 (@di_nic) July 19, 2020
Image sent to me from a friend. This was taken from the Arkona area this morning according to my friend. #ONStorm pic.twitter.com/fzfuqXRloL
— MaryAnn Williams (@Stormymaryann) July 19, 2020
Tree uprooted along #hwy21 S of Goderich with the downtown core of Bayfield littered with tree debris, along with a few downed trees and large branches on many side streets, including the surrounding area. #ONWX #ONStorm pic.twitter.com/R7yWSyf2j5
— Robert Jeffrey 🇨🇦 (@RJ1215) July 19, 2020
Downtown Toronto getting battered right now.#ONStorm pic.twitter.com/MVioZi7GyY
— Toronto Guy (@Mr_TorontoGuy) July 19, 2020
Mother Nature having a daytime rave at Yonge & Eglinton #ONStorm pic.twitter.com/0SFHKbo26i
— Aisling Kelly (@aislingkelly_) July 19, 2020