TORONTO – Three more tornadoes were added to Ontario’s tornado season tally on Tuesday bringing the total to 22.
Environment Canada investigated a rare November tornado that struck Prescott, south of Ottawa on Nov. 23.
A farm silo and other minor damage was reported. Environment Canada investigators determined that the tornado was an EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, with winds estimated at 150 km/h.
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The Enhanced Fujita scale measures tornadoes based on wind speeds. The scale ranges from weak tornadoes (EF0) to devastating tornadoes (EF5).
There have been three other late-season tornadoes reported in Ontario: in Leamington on Nov. 29, 1919; Exeter on Dec. 12, 1946; Hamilton on Nov. 9, 2005.
The investigators also went back and analyzed two more tornadoes that occurred earlier in the season: one that struck Teviotdale, south of Mount Forest on July 19, and another that occurred in Magiskan Lake, northeast of Cochrane on Aug. 2. Both tornadoes were measured as EF0.
On average about 12 tornadoes are reported each year.
Though it seems that there has been a sharp increase in tornadoes for 2013, the number is a bit deceiving. With more people, more technology, and more awareness, tornado reports are increasing.
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