Tornado strikes a major Canadian metro area on Wednesday
Several confirmed tornadoes hit Ontario and Quebec during severe thunderstorms on Wednesday
Multiple tornadoes struck Ontario and Quebec on Wednesday as rounds of severe thunderstorms rumbled through the region.
This latest round of storms is a stark reminder that tornadoes are possible anywhere in Canada—and that cities are not immune.
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Quebec tornado uproots trees in Greater Montreal Area
A confirmed tornado touched down in Brossard, Quebec, a city of more than 90,000 which sits just across the St. Lawrence from downtown Montreal.
Dramatic video showed the tornado damaging infrastructure and uprooting trees in the city.
Just a few minutes earlier, the same storms produced a tornado in Perth, Ontario, which is about 70 kilometres southwest of Ottawa. The twister uprooted trees and downed power lines in the area.
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Survey crews with Western University’s Northern Tornadoes Project (NTP) are in the process of inspecting the damage to assign an Enhanced Fujita Scale rating to Wednesday’s tornadoes.
Tornadoes do not avoid cities
One of the enduring myths of weather safety in Canada and around the world is that cities are immune from tornadoes. It’s pure misinformation—and Wednesday’s storms around Montreal are another point against this dangerous bit of meteorological fiction.
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Dense urban centres don’t offer any special protection from severe thunderstorms. A twister can also easily cross rivers, lakes, and even mountains. The fact that a tornado hasn’t hit any one particular spot before is largely a matter of luck.
Always take tornado warnings seriously, even if you’re in a densely populated area.
