If you’ve noticed that there seem to be more tornadoes than normal in southwestern Ontario this year, you’re correct.
The Northern Tornadoes Project (NTP) reports six tornadoes have occurred in the area, with the latest one striking near Glencoe last Thursday. Since its inception in 2017, the NTP has documented an average of about six tornadoes each year, but this year is shaping up to be different with nine already recorded.
“I have a feeling we’ll be over the normal number of tornadoes this year,” said Dr. David Sills, Director of the NTP.
It’s tough to identify one specific reason for this year’s increase. Sills noted that one factor contributing to multiple tornadoes annually is the region’s closeness to the U. S. He also mentioned there’s not enough evidence yet to claim climate change is significantly influencing these events.
“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 related to tornado activity. According to Sills, the NTP suggested that Environment Canada should issue more 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 that these warnings have played a big role in raising awareness about how many tornadoes have taken place this year.
Another point that caught Sills’ attention is the size of these tornadoes. They’re rated on the Fujita scale from zero to five, with higher numbers indicating greater severity. None since 2017 have exceeded a rating of one; the last rated as two was back in 2016 in Windsor.
Even though recent tornadoes are low on the severity scale, Sills warns that underestimating them can lead to serious issues.
“[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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