Environment Canada has confirmed that a tornado touched down in southern Ontario Saturday night as a system of powerful thunderstorms swept through the province.
“An Environment Canada storm damage team has determined that a thunderstorm during the early evening hours of September 10th produced a tornado,” the agency said in a news release issued Monday.
The tornado began as a waterspout over Lake Ontario and then moved onto land at the Hideaway Trailer Park near Bloomfield in Prince Edward County, the release said.
“The tornado then tracked for approximately 3.5 kilometres to the east,” Environment Canada said. It has been rated as an enhanced fujita scale 0 (ef-0), with maximum wind speeds estimated at 100 kilometres per hour and a damage path between 50 and 100 metres in width.”
The same storm damaged trees and rooftops in and around Wellington, Bloomfield and Picton. However Environment Canada said damage in those areas was due to a downburst rather than a tornado.
The storm system Saturday prompted a series of watches and warnings about tornadoes from the GTA through Cornwall before moving into Quebec. Images of some damage were shared on social media, but no injuries were reported.
An average of 12 tornadoes are spotted in Ontario each year according to the agency.
By Joshua Freeman, Published Monday, September 12, 2016 1:18PM EDT
Photo by CP24
