An investigation by the Northern Tornadoes Project (NTP), including ground and drone surveys, has confirmed that the August 5 and 6, 2024 storms in southwestern Ontario brought weak tornadoes and downbursts, including in Chatham-Kent.
“On the afternoon of August 5, EF0 downbursts occurred in New Scotland, near Rondeau Provincial Park, and Jaffa, near Aylmer,” NTP officials say.
“And on the afternoon of August 6, one storm produced two EF0 tornadoes – one at Muirkirk (in Chatham-Kent) and one at New Glasgow.”
The downburst near Rondeau started at 1:15 p.m. on August 5, 2024.
“Tree damage and roof damage to a barn was reported in the New Scotland and Rondeau Park areas after a storm passed through,” NTP officials say.
“No injuries were reported. An NTP ground and drone survey was completed on August 9, 2024 documenting intermittent damage over an area approximately 0.6 km long and up to 3.9 km wide. Damage assessed as EF0 downburst, with an estimated max. wind speed of 125 km/h. Start time is radar estimated. Satellite imagery review is pending.”
An EF0 tornado was confirmed in Muirkirk the following day, starting at 12 p.m.
“Tree damage was reported in the Muikirk and Duart areas after a storm passed through,” NTP officials say.
“No injuries were reported. An NTP ground and drone survey was completed on August 9, 2024, documenting a narrow path of tree damage starting northwest of Muikirk. Satellite imagery review revealed some isolated visible damage. Damage assessed as EF0 tornado, with an estimated max. wind speed of 115 km/h, track length of 10.6 km and max. path width of 430 m. Tornado motion was from the W (approx. 280 degrees). Event time is radar estimated. A second EF0 tornado developed east of the end of this tornado track near New Glasgow.”
The NTP, founded at Western University in 2017 with the support of social impact fund ImpactWX, aims to better detect tornado occurrence throughout Canada, improve severe and extreme weather understanding and prediction, mitigate against harm to people and property, and investigate future implications due to climate change.
More details can be found, here.
