If you’ve noticed an uptick in tornado activity across southwestern Ontario this year, you’re absolutely correct.
The Northern Tornadoes Project (NTP) reports that there have been six tornadoes recorded in the area, with the latest one occurring Thursday near Glencoe. Since the NTP started monitoring in 2017, the region typically sees about six tornadoes each year, but 2023 is on track to break that record with nine already reported.
“I have a feeling we’ll be over the normal number of tornadoes this year,” said Dr. David Sills, Director of the NTP.
There isn’t a single reason for this year’s increase, according to Sills. He mentioned that one factor contributing to multiple tornado occurrences annually is the area’s closeness to the U. S. However, he noted there’s not enough research to definitively link climate change to this rise.
“No one’s really tied it to climate change directly yet, but it certainly fits with a lot of what we’re seeing with other aspects of climate change, like more droughts and forest fires,” said Sills.
People are also noticing more alerts lately. According to Sills, the NTP has suggested that Environment Canada ramp up its issuance of tornado watches and warnings.
“I think people would appreciate getting that warning before a tornado happens, rather than not having a warning at all,” he explained.
Sills believes these alerts are a big part of why so many people are aware of how many tornadoes have occurred this year.
Another interesting aspect about these recent tornadoes is their size. They’re rated on the Fujita scale from zero to five, where higher numbers indicate greater severity. Since 2017, none have exceeded a rating of one; the last time one reached two was back in 2016 in Windsor.
Even though these recent tornadoes fall low on the severity scale, Sills warns that dismissing them can lead to serious trouble.
“[Once in St. Thomas] there was a stack of wood in front of this restaurant, and it took one of the 2x4s and sent it through the wall of the restaurant,” he shared.
Sills added that while these tornadoes might not be deadly, they can still cause considerable damage.
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