TORONTO – Environment Canada investigations have confirmed four more tornadoes in Ontario, bringing the total number up to 12 – the average number of tornadoes reported annually for the province.
Photographic evidence confirmed a tornado spawned on the afternoon of July 7 as scattered storms crossed southwestern Ontario. Investigators could not find any damage, so it was rated as an EF0 on the Enhanced Fujita scale.
The scale ranges from EF0 (weakest) to EF5 (strongest).
READ MORE: Environment Canada confirms tornado struck south of Grand Bend
On July 15, between 8 and 8:30 p.m., two strong storm cells moved across northern Ontario, in the North Bay area. A waterspout over eastern Nipissing formed. Typically waterspouts form from cumulus clouds and are not associated with thunderstorms. Because of this they are not included in Environment Canada’s count of tornadoes. However, in this particular case, the waterspout was associated with a thunderstorm and therefore was included.
Another tornado was spotted south of the North Bay Airport. Though neither of the twisters produced much damage, they were both rated as EF0.
On July 27, several weather spotters for Environment Canada reported seeing a funnel cloud. One reported swirling debris at the base, indicting that the funnel cloud did, briefly, become a tornado. Again, no damage was reported so it was also rated as an EF0.
Though the average number of reported tornadoes a year is 12, it’s estimated that there are more that go unseen due to the fact that there are many unpopulated areas in the north.
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