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Canadian Tornadoes
Fri Oct 15, 2004
Listen in RealAudio 
The American Plains hold North America’s Tornado Alley but as we move north into
Canada, the international border provides no barrier to tornadoes. Hi, I’m Bryan Yeaton
for The Weather Notebook.
Canada experiences around 80 reported tornadoes annually — a third of which strike
Ontario. Most of those spin up in Canada’s Tornado Alley located across southwestern
Ontario from Windsor — east of Detroit — to Toronto. This region also holds Canada’s
highest population density.
Late May and June are the most likely months for Ontario tornadoes. Many southwest
Ontario tornadoes develop from the same weather systems that bring severe
thunderstorms and tornadoes to Michigan and Ohio.
In late May 1985, a devastating tornado swarm traversed northwest of Toronto and
damaged over 1,000 buildings, leaving 12 dead and $100 million in damage. Ontario’s
deadliest tornado struck the Windsor area in June 1946, killing 17.
In high summer, the action moves to the southern Prairie Provinces, part of a storm
track that goes up the Mississippi Valley from the American Plains. Prairie tornadoes
develop mostly from air mass thunderstorms, but that does not reduce their strength or
deadliness.
Three of Canada’s four deadliest tornadoes have struck in the Prairies. The first hit
Regina, Saskatchewan on June 30, 1912. Between 28 and 30 people were killed and
hundreds injured. The latest struck Pine Lake, Alberta, July 14, 2000 leaving 140
injured and 14 dead.
Canada’s most destructive tornadic storm struck the last day of July 1987, in
Edmonton, Alberta. The damage swath was 25 miles long. It rampaged through the
provincial capital for over an hour. When it finally dissipated, 27 had died, and property
damage totalled $300 million. Thousands were left homeless.
Thanks to our contributing writer and Canadian resident, meteorologist Keith Heidorn.
The Weather Notebook is funded by Subaru of America; we are a program of the Mount
Washington Observatory.
Today's Links
Canadian Tornadoes
http://www.pnr-rpn.ec.gc.ca/air/summersevere/ae00s02.en.html
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