Rare tornado confirmed near Vanderhoof, B.C.
Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Northern Tornadoes Project have confirmed a weak tornado occurred this week near the geographic centre of B.C. (Eva Gulbranson / Facebook)
Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Northern Tornadoes Project have confirmed a weak tornado occurred this week near the geographic centre of B.C.
The incident happened five kilometres northeast of Vanderhoof shortly after 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 21, and was captured in two videos, according to ECCC.
The federal weather agency said the tornado could be seen 'beneath a line of showers that were apparent in the videos and on radar.'
It's the first confirmed tornado of the season in B.C.
'This was considered a landspout tornado that was generated by weak rotation under rapidly growing clouds or weak thunderstorms,' ECCC said in a statement Friday.
'Landspout tornadoes do not usually cause significant damage but can still be dangerous as they can topple trees, damage roofs or toss debris a short distance.'
The Northern Tornadoes Project, which is operated by Western University in Ontario, said no damage was reported, and the tornado has been assigned an 'EF0-Default' rating.
A famously mountainous province, British Columbia is not known as a hotspot for tornado activity in Canada.
However, the NTP says tornadoes can and do occur in every province and territory in the country.
The project's online database shows 17 confirmed tornadoes in British Columbia since 2017, an average of slightly more than two per year.
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