List of Canadian tornadoes and tornado outbreaks

Canada's only confirmed F5 tornado, near Elie, Manitoba, 2007.

This page lists tornadoes and tornado outbreaks which have touched down in Canada. On average, there are around 80 confirmed and unconfirmed tornadoes that touch down in Canada each year, with most occurring in southern Ontario, the southern Prairies and southern Quebec. Canada ranks as the second country in the world with the most tornadoes per year, after the US. The most common types are F0 to F2 in damage intensity level and usually result in minor structural damage to barns, wood fences, roof shingles, chimneys, uprooted or snapped tree limbs and downed power lines. Fewer than 5% of tornadoes in Canada are rated F3 or higher in intensity, where wind speeds are in excess of 250 km/h. As in the US, the Enhanced Fujita Scale is used to rate tornado intensity, based on the damage to buildings and vegetation.

Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan all average 15 tornadoes per season, followed by Quebec with fewer than 10. New Brunswick and the interior of British Columbia are also recognized tornado zones. All other provinces and territories have significantly less threat from tornadoes. The peak season in Canada is in the summer months when clashing air masses move north, as opposed to the spring season in the United States southern-central plains, although tornadoes in Canada have occurred in spring, fall and very rarely winter.

The reported increase in numbers of tornadoes in recent years may reflect more reporting by citizens and media involvement rather than an actual increase in tornado occurrence (although some natural increase has not been ruled out), in addition to better detection technology i.e. Doppler weather radar and satellite imagery. The upswing could also be attributed to other factors, such as improved aerial and ground damage assessment after the fact in sparsely populated areas (particularly the case in remote parts of the Canadian Prairies and Northern Ontario, for example), better trained spotter capabilities and increased use of digital recording devices by citizens. Tornadoes in Canada are enough of a threat for a public warning system to be in place, overseen by the national weather agency, Environment Canada.

For a variety of reasons, such as Canada's lower population density and generally stronger housing construction due to the colder climate, Canadian tornadoes have historically caused far fewer fatalities than tornadoes in the United States. The deadliest tornado in Canadian history, the Regina Cyclone of June 30, 1912, does not even rank in the top 25 when compared to American tornado fatalities. Urban centres are not immune from the threat of severe tornadoes. Nine medium to large size Canadian cities have been hit by significant strength tornadoes (F3 or higher), which caused large-scale damage and fatalities: Regina, Saskatchewan (1912); Windsor, Ontario (1946 and 1974); Sarnia, Ontario (1953); Sudbury, Ontario (1970); Woodstock, Ontario (1979); London, Ontario (1984); Barrie, Ontario (1985); Edmonton, Alberta (1987); and Goderich, Ontario (2011).

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.

Before 1880

1792

1829

1860

1870

1879

1880s

1880

1884

1885

1888

1890s

1892

1898

1900s

1909

1910s

1912

1915

1918

1920s

1920

1922

1923

1926

1927

1930s

1935

1936

1939

1940s

1944

1946

1948

1949

1950s

1950

1953

1954

1955

1958

1959

1960s

1962

1963

1966

1967

1968

1970s

1970

1972

1973

1974

1975

1977

1978

1979

1980s

1980

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990s

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000s

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2009 Confirmed Tornadoes
BC AB SK MB ON QC NB
0 6 6 3 34 8 0

2010s

2010

2011

2011 Confirmed Tornadoes
BC AB SK MB ON QC NB
0 1 1 0 14 3 0

2012

2012 Confirmed Tornadoes
BC AB SK MB ON QC NB
0 7 23 0 9 6 0

2013

2013 Confirmed Tornadoes
BC AB SK MB ON QC NB
0 4 13 5 22 4 1

2014

2014 Confirmed Tornadoes
BC AB SK MB ON QC NB
0 3 6 4 20 7 0

2015

2015 Confirmed Tornadoes
BC AB SK MB ON QC NB
0 7 0 6 8 1 0

2016

2016 Confirmed Tornadoes
BC AB SK MB ON QC NB
0 1 0 0 1 0 0

See also

References

  1. The Weather Doctor's Diary: June - 30 June 1792, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
  2. The New York Times - "Tornados" Published July 17, 1870
  3. The Weather Doctor's Diary: June - 6 June 1888, Southwestern Quebec
  4. The Weather Doctor - Canada's Deadliest Tornadoes
  5. The Standard - The day of destruction in Merritton
  6. Papers Past - Tornado in Canada
  7. Edmonton Journal - Jul 7, 1965 - Tornado Barely Misses Calgary
  8. F3 & F4 Tornadoes in Saskatchewan - July 6, 1935
  9. - The Montreal Gazette - Jul 7, 1936
  10. Environment Canada - Windsor Tornado
  11. Winnipeg Free Press - Storm Kills Man
  12. The Calgary Herald, Jun 13, 1966 - Small Tornado Hits Near Nanton
  13. American Weather - Southern Ontario Tornado History
  14. Hay Township History - 1960's (wrong date)
  15. CBC Digital Archives - Freak tornado kills 6 in Sudbury
  16. The Calgary Herald - Alberta farms hit by tornado
  17. When the Tornado hit Brighton
  18. CBC Digital Archives - 1974 Windsor Tornado
  19. Toledo Blade, July 24, 1975 - Tornado kills 3 in Quebec
  20. Environment Canada - Elie tornado upgraded
  21. The Weather Doctor - Significant Weather Events, July 30, 1978
  22. Canadian Prairie Storms - Tornado Fatalities in Sask.
  23. Thunderstorm Disasters in Canada - August 8, 1979
  24. "A Fling with Terror". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  25. The Atlas of Canada - Photograph of a Tornado, July 8, 1983 Blackfoot, Alberta
  26. 1 2 Summary and Highlights of 1984 Severe Local Storm Season - The Quebec Region
  27. Summary and Highlights of 1985 Severe Local Storm Season - The Ontario Region
  28. 1 2 Summary and Highlights of 1986 Severe Local Storm Season - The Ontario Region
  29. Edmonton Journal, Jul 27, 1986 - Funnel sightings spur tornado warning
  30. The Montreal Gazette, Aug. 6, 1986 - Twister Tragedy
  31. The Leader Post - Tornadoes strike in Southern Alberta
  32. The Leader Post - Tornadoes touch down in Alberta
  33. Summary and Highlights of 1986 Severe Local Storm Season - The Central Region
  34. 1987 Quebec Tornadoes
  35. "The Edmonton Tornado - Environment Canada (archive.org)". Archived from the original on 2002-11-15.
  36. Elgin County Archives - 1990 tornado
  37. Canadian Disaster Database - 1991 Sarnia Tornado
  38. Significant tornadoes of the 19th and 20th centuries - 1991 Quebec Tornado
  39. http://www.criacc.qc.ca/climat/suivi/tornade_f.html
  40. Public Safety Canada – Significant tornadoes of the 19th and 20th centuries
  41. 1 2 The Ontario Weather Page - 2000 Tornado Database
  42. York University - Storm Damage Survey - 9 May 2000
  43. 1 2 Highways & Hailstones - Tornadoes in Canada 2000
  44. 1 2 3 Climat-Quebec - Tornadoes in Quebec sine 1985
  45. York University - Storm Damage Survey - Guelph - 17 July 2000
  46. York University - Storm Damage Survey - Melduf - 17 July 2000
  47. CBC News - Rancher survives tornado
  48. Alberta Emergency Management Agency - Review of some of the disaster events in Alberta since 1986
  49. 1 2 The Ontario Weather Page - 2001 Tornado Database
  50. Environment Canada - The Top Ten Canadian Weather Stories for 2001
  51. Weather Underground - Tornado over Pointe-Taillon
  52. 1 2 3 4 Climat-Quebec - 2001 Quebec Tornadoes
  53. CBC News – Tornado touches down near Caroline and possible sightings near Edmonton's north end
  54. CTV Calgary – Tornado touches down west of Edmonton
  55. University of Manitoba - The Vulcan tornado of June 13, 2004
  56. Government of Alberta - CTV News report Vulcan tornado 2004
  57. CBC Alberta - Alberta cleaning up from Tornado
  58. DSLReports.com Forum - EC Confirms Tornado
  59. Wild weather spawns tornadoes
  60. CBC News – Tornado hits New Brunswick
  61. Environment Canada – Historical Tornado-Related Events
  62. CTV Winnipeg – Manitoba tornado was strongest ever
  63. Environment Canada – Elie Tornado Upgraded to Highest Level on Damage Scale Canada's First Official F5 Tornado
  64. CBC News – 'Moderate' risk of more tornadoes in Manitoba
  65. CBC News – More tornadoes hit southern Manitoba
  66. Environment Canada - Canada's Top Ten Weather Stories for 2007
  67. The Weather Doctor - Individual Tornado Events and Oddities
  68. CBC News – Cupar-area farm believed destroyed by tornado
  69. CTV Winnipeg- Two twisters touch down
  70. CTV Winnipeg- Tornado spotted in southeastern Manitoba
  71. CBC News – Tornado touches down near Manitoba town
  72. Environment Canada - Ontario Weather Review June 2008
  73. CTV Edmonton – Tornado touches down southeast of Edmonton
  74. Calgary Herald – Tornado touches near village
  75. CTV Winnipeg – Twister touches down near Morris
  76. Environment Canada - June 2008 Weather Review
  77. CTV Edmonton – Twister the talk of the town in Viking
  78. CTV Winnipeg- Tornados, wind, rain, and hail
  79. CTV Edmonton – Tornado north of Calgary
  80. CTV Winnipeg- Twister topples trees, sinks boats
  81. CBC News – Tornado touches down in Manitoba
  82. Montreal Gazette – Tornado hits Quebec's Saguenay region
  83. CBC Regina – Severe storm wallops southern Saskatchewan
  84. Canada.com – South Sask. ravaged by storms
  85. CTV Calgary – Tornado touches down during wild wind storm
  86. Canada.com – Storm spawns twisters
  87. Ontario Storms Stie! - Tornado in Welland, ON
  88. CTV.ca – Rare waterspout forms in Montreal during storm
  89. CBC News – 4 Sask. towns see twisters touch down
  90. CTV Saskatoon – Twister strikes Saskatchewan, six injured
  91. Steinbach Online - Tornado Spotted in la Broquerie
  92. Environment Canada - Canada's Top Ten Weather Stories for 2009
  93. Environment Canada - Runner-up Weather Stories in 2009
  94. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Government of Canada - Canadian National Tornado Database: Verified Events (1980-2009) - Public
  95. Edmonton Journal – Tornado takes roof off barn
  96. Toronto Sun - Twisters touch down near London
  97. UrbanToronto.ca - The Weather Page
  98. CBC Regina – Tornado spotted near Red Deer
  99. CBC News - Tornado kills 2 at Ontario resort
  100. Highways & Hailstones - Three Killed as violent F2 tornado sweeps away cabins at Fisherman's Cove Resort
  101. Climat-Quebec - Thunderstorms, tornado and Heavy rain, July 11th 2009
  102. Highways & Hailstones - Tornado Near Woodstock
  103. Climat-Quebec - July 2009 Climate Summary
  104. Climat-Quebec - 2009 Tornadoes
  105. Climat-Quebec - Tornado in Mont-Laurier, August 4, 2009
  106. CTV Montreal - CTV camera operator killed in helicopter crash
  107. The Weather Network - August 20, 2009: Ontario's historic tornado outbreak
  108. Climate-Quebec - August 2009 Climate Summary
  109. Highways and Hailstones - Cone tornado touches down, travels 3km through city but with only minor damage
  110. CTV Toronto - Bowmanville hit by tornado, says Environment Canada
  111. The Windsor Star – Leamington Tornado coverage
  112. CBC Regina – Twister damages farm
  113. CBC Regina – Sask. tornado confirmed as F3
  114. CTV Winnipeg – Province looks at improving weather warning system
  115. CTV Montreal – Lightning strikes couple, tornado touches down in St. Lazare
  116. CTV Toronto – First Tornado of 2011
  117. The Weather Network – Weak Tornado reported in Saskatchewan
  118. CTV Ottawa – Storms hammer region
  119. Maple Creek News - Tornado strikes Fox Valley
  120. CTV Calgary – Damage left behind as twister touched down near Innisfail
  121. CBC News Calgary - Tornado hit southwest Calgary
  122. Northern Pride - Storm aftermath in photos
  123. The Weather Network – Tallying Canada's confirmed tornadoes
  124. CBC Windsor – Tornado confirmed in Lambton County
  125. CBC News – Heavy tornado damage in Lac Saint-Jean area
  126. CP24 – Environment Canada confirms third tornado in Ontario
  127. CBC.ca – Tornado touchdown confirmed in Trois-Rivières
  128. The Peterborough Examiner - Orono funnel cloud was likely an F0 Tornado
  129. CTVNews.ca - Tornadoes cause millions in damage in Quebec
  130. CBC News - Tornado Confirmed east of Ottawa
  131. The Weather Network - Tornadoes touch down in southern Alberta
  132. The Weather Network - F1 tornado touchdown in Huntingdon, Quebec
  133. CBC News Calgary - Landspout tornado reported near Stettler, Alta.
  134. The Weather Network - Eight confirmed tornadoes hit west-central Saskatchewan
  135. The Weather Network - EC confirms tornado passed near Sioux Lookout on June 18
  136. Global News Edmonton - EC gets 500 reports of tornadoes in 36 hours
  137. CBC News - Tornadoes touch down in Saskatchewan
  138. The Vancouver Sun - Tornado touches down near Olds, Alberta
  139. The Calgary Herald - Storms hitting southern Alberta harder than usual, experts say
  140. CBC News Ottawa - 2 tornadoes touched down amid eastern Ontario storms
  141. Global Saskatoon - At least 3 confirmed tornadoes in Saskatchewan
  142. Environment Canada - F0 Tornado in Embro
  143. The Weather Network - 5 tornadoes touch down in Saskatchewan
  144. Prairie Storm Tranquillity - Dogpound, Alberta Supercell and Tornado
  145. CBC News Montreal - Tornado touches down in Drummondville
  146. CKWS News Kingston - Odessa Tornado
  147. The Weather Network - Ontario's 9th tornado of the year confirmed
  148. The Weather Network - Weak Tornado Strikes Quebec
  149. CP24 - Environment Canada: Tornado hit Shelburne, Ont.
  150. The Weather Network - EC Confirms Ontario's 2nd Tornado of 2013
  151. Global News Toronto - E.C. Confirms 2 more Tornadoes in Ontario
  152. The Weather Network - Fifth tornado of season touches down in Ontario
  153. CBC News - Family encounters tornado near Maple Creek, Sask.
  154. CBC News - Tornado spotted near Bredenbury, Sask.
  155. Edmonton Journal - Tornado warning sends people scrambling to safety
  156. CTV News Toronto - Tornado spotted outside Barrie
  157. News Talk 650 - Tornado touches down near Shaunavon
  158. The Weather Network - Weak tornado reported in Quebec
  159. CTV Winnipeg - Possible tornado destroys property, unroots trees
  160. CBC News Saskatchewan - More tornadoes possible in Sask.
  161. The Weather Network - Seven possible tornadoes spotted in Saskatchewan
  162. CBC Manitoba- Tornado confirmed at Manitoba First Nation, 2 injured
  163. CBC News - Tornado may have caused 7km of bush damage
  164. 1 2 3 Global News Toronto - Environment Canada updates 2013 Ontario tornado count
  165. CBC News - Tornado winds hit 175 km/h, Environment Canada determines
  166. CTV Winnipeg - Tornado confirmed near Boissevain
  167. Global News Winnipeg - Environment Canada confirms tornado south of Winnipeg
  168. CBC Ottawa - Tornado touched down in Ottawa
  169. 1310 News Radio - Environment Canada confirms Ontario’s 11th tornado
  170. CTV News Kitchener - Environment Canada confirms three tornadoes
  171. Global News Toronto - Three more tornadoes confirmed in Ontario
  172. Environment Canada - Canada's Top Ten Weather Stories for 2013 in Quebec
  173. The Weather Network - Environment Canada confirms Quebec's fourth tornado
  174. CTV Kitchener - Environment Canada confirms two long weekend tornadoes near Fergus
  175. The Weather Network - Ontario's first tornado of 2014 season confirmed
  176. CTV London - Second tornado near Listowel confirmed by Environment Canada
  177. The Weather Network - Quebec's first tornado of the season confirmed
  178. CTV Calgary - Alberta's first tornado of 2014 touches down near Gleichen
  179. CTV News Barrie - Tornado tears through Angus neighbourhood
  180. The Weather Network - Ontario's fourth tornado of the season confirmed
  181. Orangeville Banner - Environment Canada confirms tornado landed in Amaranth
  182. CTV News Barrie - Environment Canada surveys tornado damage in New Tecumseth
  183. The Weather Network - Tornado touches down in southern Alberta
  184. Global News Toronto - Seventh tornado of Ontario's storm season confirmed
  185. The Weather Network - Quebec's second tornado of the year confirmed
  186. CTV News Winnipeg - Tornado touches down in Hartney, Man. Saturday evening
  187. Global News Saskatoon - Environment Canada confirms EF2 tornado south of Saskatoon
  188. The Weather Network - Four more tornadoes confirmed in Ontario this season
  189. The Weather Network - Two more tornadoes confirmed in Quebec
  190. 1 2 Global News Toronto - Four more tornadoes confirmed in Ontario
  191. The Weather Network - Tornadoes spotted in Manitoba
  192. CTV Kitchener - Environment Canada confirms tornado touches down in Grand Bend
  193. Montreal Gazette - Tornado strikes Pont-Rouge west of Quebec City; no injuries
  194. The Weather Network - Ontario's thirteenth tornado of the season confirmed
  195. The Weather Network - Two tornadoes confirmed in Windsor Ontario
  196. The Weather Network - Ontario's sixteenth tornado of the season confirmed
  197. CTV News Barrie - Tornado confirmed on Christian Island
  198. Orrilia Packet and Times - Tracking Udney's Twister
  199. Twitter - Dave Sills
  200. The Hamilton Spectator - Environment Canada confirms tornado hit Sheffield
  201. CTV London - First tornado of the year confirmed northeast of London
  202. Calgary Sun - Thursday's stormy skies spawn small landspout tornado northwest of Airdrie
  203. CTV Kitchener - Weak tornado touched down in Huron County, Environment Canada says
  204. Calgary Herald - Environment Canada lifts funnel cloud advisory for Calgary and area
  205. The Weather Network - Two tornadoes touch down in Southern Manitoba.
  206. CTV Winnipeg - Brief tornado touchdown in southwestern Manitoba
  207. CTV Winnipeg - Environment Canada confirms tornado touchdown
  208. CTV Calgary - Tornado touchdown confirmed southwest of Calgary
  209. Radio Canada International - Tornado called ‘incredible’ by officials
  210. CBC News Manitoba - Tornado confirmed in southwestern Manitoba
  211. CTV News London - Weekend storm spawned third tornado: Environment Canada
  212. The Weather Network - Second tornado confirmed from Sunday's strong storms
  213. High River Online - Tornado Spotted Near Langdon, Warning Issued
  214. CBC News Calgary - Tornado touches down near Foremost in southeastern Alberta
  215. CBC News Manitoba - Tornado touches down near Anola
  216. Highways & Hailstones - Tornado Near Kapuskasing
  217. Dave Sills Twitter - Two more 2015 ON tornadoes confirmed
  218. The Weather Network - EF-1 tornado damages barn near Mount Forest, Ont.
  219. CTV Calgary - First tornado of season spotted near Calgary’s eastern edge

External links

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