Experts confirm twister touched down south of Winnipeg Wednesday
A cloudy sky in the village of Tourond, south of Winnipeg, quickly turned violent Wednesday, marking Manitoba's first tornado of the year.
'Nothing's going to happen. We have a super strong basement we can hide in,' says a girl in a video posted to Facebook that showed the tornado.
The landspout tornado hit the community, on Highway 59 just south of Niverville, just after 5 p.m. Wednesday, leaving a small trail of dirt in its path, but causing no damage.
A landspout, which is formed from the ground up, rather than from a rotating updraft within a thunderstorm cloud, generally doesn't cause a lot of damage.
Natalie Hasell, of Environment and Climate Change Canada, said the tornado wasn't out of the ordinary. She said conditions were 'ripe' for cold core funnel clouds, which can — but often don't — turn into tornadoes.
'The general conditions around what happened (Wednesday), cold core funnel is very typical under these conditions,' she said. 'Occasionally a cold-core funnel will reach the ground.'
Dave Sills, director of the Northern Tornadoes Project at Western University in London, Ont., said it was an early-season touchdown — only the second twister to ever touch down in Manitoba in the month of April. The first one happened near Altona in 1980.
The project tracks all tornadoes in Canada.
He said the tornado didn't do any damage, and only kicked up dirt in a field, based on a video sent to the university.
Reeves for De Salaberry and Hanover both said they hadn't received reports of damage.
Sills said Manitoba averages about 8.5 tornadoes a year, but cautioned the early touchdown isn't a sign that it will be a busy season.
The university team classified the tornado as EF0-Default on the Enhanced Fujita scale, the lowest possible rating, with help from videos posted to social media. The classification would mean wind speeds were likely low, but still greater than 90 kilometres per hour.
'Any tornado is dangerous, even an EF0 can put a two-by-four through a wall,' said Sills.
He said the rotation of smaller tornadoes can't be picked up on radar, which makes them difficult to predict.
Hasell said for most people, a funnel cloud that quickly disappears and one that touches down and becomes destructive look the same, and that people should stay safe.
'Unless you're very sure about the situation, I would prefer that people would stay away and take shelter,' said Hasell.
The strongest tornado in the southeast area of Manitoba happened near St. Malo in 1977. Two people were killed. The tornado was classified as F4 on the former Fujita scale. F4 tornadoes have wind speeds of at least 333 km/h.
Wednesdays
A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future.
The strongest twister in Manitoba history happened in Elie in 2007. It reached F5 on the Fujita scale and had winds of greater than 400 km/h.
The path of destruction was more than 5.5 kilometres long and 300 metres wide. Despite it lifting up cars and houses, nobody was killed. The Elie tornado is the only F5 or EF5 tornado recorded in Canada.
The Tourond tornado was only Canada's second twister of the year after another one, classified as EF0, touched down near Rolling Hills, Alta. on April 12.
The Northern Tornadoes Project is investigating another potential tornado that happened north of Montreal on April 29. If confirmed, it would make the Tourond tornado the third of the year.
fpcity@freepress.mb.ca
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Global News
4 hours ago
- Global News
As Canada's wildfires rage, where is the smoke drifting?
With more than 200 active wildfires across Canada, the smoke from the blazes is spreading, even drifting south to cloud over multiple U.S. states. Air quality alerts stretch from Alberta to parts of northern Ontario, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada, while Minnesota and Michigan are seeing air quality levels that can be classified as 'hazardous' and others deemed 'very unhealthy.' According to weather alerts by Environment Canada, various Ontario communities are expected to see poor air quality and reduced visibility with wildfire smoke remaining in place for potentially several days in some areas. Several warnings are in effect for northwest Alberta and central Saskatchewan and Manitoba, while air quality statements are in place for northeast B.C., east central Alberta and Saskatchewan, and small parts of Manitoba. Story continues below advertisement Northern U.S. states dealing with smoke The upper U.S. Midwest has been seeing the majority of impacts from wildfire smoke, with Minnesota on Monday advising air quality would enter the unhealthy category in the east central, southeast and northeast parts of the state, with its alert in place until Wednesday. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'A band of very heavy smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to move southeast across Minnesota and has reached south central and northeast Minnesota Tuesday morning,' a news release from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency stated. The agency warned east central, southeast and northeast Minnesota would see fine particle levels reach the red 'unhealthy' air quality index category, with the Twin Cities among the communities being urged to avoid prolonged or heavy exertion and limit time spent outdoors. Western, central and north-central parts would see the orange level, which is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups. Story continues below advertisement 4:17 Ask the Expert: Health risks associated with increased wildfires However, IQAir, which tracks the air quality index, shows communities like Ely, Minn. and Houghton, Mich. are already seeing levels in the 'hazardous' threshold. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has also recommended people limit time outdoors until at least Tuesday, noting multiple air quality advisories have been put in place due to Canadian wildfire smoke. The agency said smoke would be moving northwest to southeast throughout Tuesday, with its advisory expected to extend to the full state later in the day. Nebraska's Department of Health and Human Services issued a smoke advisory for the eastern part of the state, warning smoke associated with wildfires in Canada may affect air quality with parts of the state potentially seeing unhealthy air later in the day. According to BlueSky's forecast, the smoke from Canada's wildfires is expected to continue to drift southeast and could reach Iowa and Nebraska.
CTV News
a day ago
- CTV News
Warmer than normal summer ahead, preparing for severe weather in Simcoe County
The City of Barrie has a haze over it as wildfires burn across Ontario and Quebec. (CTV News Barrie) After a cool spring season, Environment and Climate Change Canada released their summer forecast on June 1; the official start of the meteorological summer season. Meteorologists are predicting that Ontario will see above normal temperatures for the months of June, July, and August. Geoff Coulson, warning preparedness meteorologist for Environment Canada, said the warmer weather could possibly bring more thunderstorm activity to the Simcoe County region. 'In addition to the warmth that it brings, it also brings a fair amount of humidity and that low level moisture in the atmosphere is one of the key ingredients that we look for in the development of, thunderstorm activity,' said Coulson. Preparing for severe weather conditions: Coulson added that residents need to be prepared for severe weather including tornadoes, thunderstorms, hail, heavy rain and wind. 'Stay, informed on what the current forecast is for your area, if you're planning travel, it's checking the forecast enroute and at your destination because it can be highly changeable from where you are right now to where you're going,' said Coulson. Central Ontario is no stranger to severe weather with the community remembering the 40th anniversary of the 1985 tornado on May 31. Dr. David Sills, executive director of Northern Tornadoes Project at Western University said the beginning of May is when the region starts to see tornadoes. 'We've had tornadoes in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec so far,' said Sills 'Eight tornadoes in total so far in the season that's just a bit up from the six we had at this time last season.' Severe Weather Storm clouds brew over Highway 400 between Midland and Barrie July 8, 2013. (Katherine Ward / CTV Barrie) Tornado data: Thanks to a climatology study released this year, experts now have data on how many tornadoes have touched the ground over the last 30 years. 'Ontario is now the number one province for tornado occurrence at 18.4 tornadoes per year,' said Sills. Barrie and the surrounding region are known to have significantly more tornados than other areas of the country. 'That's actually, a byproduct of having the Great Lakes around us,' said Sills. 'The tornadoes, thunderstorms don't tend to form over the Great Lakes as much so that leads to this corridor roughly from Sarnia to Barrie, to Ottawa, and then to Quebec City, so Barrie is right in the middle of that alley and seen its fair share of serious tornadoes.' Coulson said over the last 15 years, severe weather has shifted east of Lake Simcoe but now enough data has been collected to say Ontario's tornado alley is shifting. 'I think it's a little too early to say whether we're seeing a movement eastward, of where this axis of strongest storms is occurring,' said Coulson. 'So, we're going to have to keep a close eye of where this activity is occurring over the next few years to get a better sense of... are we seeing a trend in the in the motion of where most of these storms are occurring.' Barrie tornado May 31, 1985 Barrie tornado May 31, 1985 Here's how wildfires impact weather: Wildfire season has started this year with Western Canada already experiencing severe cases. The smoke from the wildfires may also have an impact on the severe weather in Ontario. 'It is quite possible if we do have an active wildfire season, some of that smoke will find its way down into the Barrie area, and that can, can act to inhibit some of the formation of thunderstorms,' said Coulson. Sills adding that the smoke eliminates the potential for severe weather. 'When you have that much smoke in the atmosphere, it tends to cut off the sunlight getting through and without that sunlight, you're not reaching your daytime maximum high temperatures,' said Sills. 'The energy for thunderstorms isn't quite there and if they do form, they're not as intense. The effects that wildfire smoke has and its relation to severe weather are now starting to be studied. The technology has also changed how storms are being tracked and recorded with newer technology allowing meteorologists to stay ahead of severe storms. 'We continue to use things like lightning detection capability, which can track, changes in lightning activity, which is now been linked to, potential development of severe storms as the lightning frequency changes,' said Coulson. Wildfire A wildfire is shown in this undated image. Public awareness: Sills adding that with new technology and a raised awareness of severe weather has a positive impact on the public. 'We noticed that the number of fatalities and injuries associated with tornadoes has gone way down, so obviously there's something good happening, and that I think is mostly due to people's awareness of tornadoes and what to do when tornadoes are forecast or there's a warning,' said Sills. Severe weather watches are now being sent out to the public hours in advance of the system reaching the area in hopes the public acts on them before an actual warning is put in place later in the day. 'The idea with the tornado watch is it gets out six hours before the event could happen,' said Sills. 'It's not saying that a tornado will happen says the ingredients are there, that it could happen so that's the time to prepare for, a tornado possibility.' Adding that having a plan to stay ahead is the right thing to do. Closing all windows and doors, tie down outdoor furniture and trampolines,' said Sills. 'Have a plan if a tornado warning is issued, where to go in the house, what supplies you have with you.'
Edmonton Journal
2 days ago
- Edmonton Journal
Manitoba officials says wildfire contained in Flin Flon, wind change could push it into city
Article content Officials in Flin Flon, Man., say the fire burning near the mining city has been contained to outside its perimeter highway, and that as of Saturday evening there have been no structure losses. Manitoba has issued an evacuation order for Bakers Narrows Provincial Park, just south of Flin Flon, due to the blaze in the area. Local officials say there were some property and structure losses in the Bakers Narrows area, but did not have total numbers on how many properties were affected. Wildfires in Manitoba have displaced more than 17,000 people, and evacuees are being offered food and shelter in several communities. Thousands have also been affected by wildfires in Saskatchewan and Alberta, with several communities already forced to evacuate. The weather has not been cooperating in parts of the Prairie provinces where wildfires are burning out-of-control. Flin Flon Mayor George Fontaine has said a change in wind direction could push the fire into the city. Officials said in a Facebook post Sunday morning that electricity has been restored in parts of the city and that work continues to get all areas back online. 'We're incredibly grateful for all of the support that departments from across Manitoba have provided us. They've done an outstanding job protecting our homes and the town we love,' the post said. 'Our utmost gratitude goes out to all of those who have taken time away from their homes and families to put themselves in harm's way.'
