10 hours ago
Delayed weather alerts leave town seeking answers from Environment Canada
Essex is asking Environment Canada to outline its notification procedures after residents raised concerns an alert only came after a recent storm.
The Town of Essex is asking Environment Canada to outline its notification procedures after residents raised concerns an alert only came after a recent storm.
An approved notice of motion, put forward by Mayor Sherry Bondy, directs staff to send a letter to the environmental agency asking for information on notification procedures and processes during severe weather events.
'It is a safety aspect, considering that storms can happen any time, and there's really no reason why we should wait for this,' Bondy told members of council.
On June 5, Environment Canada issued a warning shortly after 12:30 a.m. for conditions that could potentially create a tornado in parts of Windsor-Essex.
However, residents in Harrow later told CTV News the worst of the storm actually hit about an hour prior to the alert.
'It's been happening for a couple of years where we have a storm go through our town, and it seems like the Environment Canada alert pops up on our phone half an hour, 45 minutes after the fact,' Bondy said.
The mayor added feedback from residents has indicated a desire for more radar monitoring in 'southern Essex County' to fill in possible gaps.
The motion asks for 'target deliverable times' and channels used to deliver notifications and warnings.
