Improving Canada's Tornado Warning Systems: Experts Weigh In

More than 100 homes were damaged on July 13 when a tornado touched down in the Ottawa suburb of Barrhaven with little to no warning, and in the aftermath, some storm experts say it’s a sign work is needed to better improve warning systems.

Current Warning Systems

Currently, when inclement weather is forecast in the country, Environment and Climate Change Canada shares that information through its website, the WeatherCAN app, Weatherradio network, and over social media platforms. Commercial and public broadcasters like the Weather Network also amplify alerts through TV programming and its own mobile app. According to a report by Globalnews.ca, David Sills with the Northern Tornadoes Project, which aims to assess Canada’s true climatology to improve the country’s models for tornado warnings and make homes more resilient for tornadoes, says the system is only as good as the information sent to it.

“We really need to make sure that the warnings are getting out earlier,” he told Global News. “It’s very difficult with tornadoes. Tornadoes are very difficult to forecast, and usually the target lead time is only 10 minutes,” he added. “We really need to get better at being able to use radar, use other tools to look at a thunderstorm and to be able to tell whether it’s going to produce a tornado or not and give us more time to react.”

Tornado Sirens

Similar alert systems are used south of the border in the U.S., but one that is not as commonly found in Canada are tornado sirens — something used frequently in tornado-prone areas of the U.S.

While each jurisdiction manages their sirens in terms of testing and use, with some not even using it at all in an entire year, many are standard in terms of the loudness with them sounding at about 120-130 decibels from 100 feet or 70 decibels from one mile away.

The sirens aren’t meant to be heard indoors, but Julie Stimson, director of Sedgwick County Emergency Management in Kansas, says they are useful and residents have proven that with their own comments on the system.

“Even though we don’t like it, a lot of folks will use it as that validation that this is real. The threat is here, it’s scary sirens that you don’t hear very often,” Stimson said. “So it definitely gets folks attention.

She said in an interview with Global News that people also notice when a siren doesn’t go off, saying residents often reach out to find out why a warning siren did not sound despite bad weather.

Challenges and Cost Considerations

Part of the reason, she said, is because the sirens have become almost ingrained in society after being used for decades.

According to Stimson, the sirens can be costly to maintain and can bring up questions of the cost-to-benefit ratio, especially if a community never has to use the alarm due to few or no tornadoes in a single year.

In the town of Castle Rock, Colo., for example, officials estimate with each siren covering about one mile, a total of 34 would be needed at a cost of US$30,000 — amounting to US$1.02 million. That amount does not include annual maintenance and fees. Other cities, including Dallas, Texas, and Raleigh, N.C., estimate about the same amount, which is about $39,000 CAD.

“We know we have some years we don’t have any tornadoes. And then we have some years where we have multiple,” Stimson said. “So it kind of averages that you’re spending a lot of money on a system that you may only use once or twice, you know. And so it’s that cost-benefit analysis that trips some folks up.

Sills says a focus should be put on technology already used in Canada and why Canadians likely won’t see a network of tornado sirens going up in the country anytime soon. He believes that cell towers are more effective for Canada’s needs.

“Cell towers are the new tornado sirens,” he said. “This is much more effective for Canada. I think the warning gets help from the government service, goes through the Alert Ready system and then uses our providers or cellphone providers to get right in your pocket and right in your hand. And it really can’t get much better than that. That’s inside or outside. I think we’re much better off trying to get a cellphone in everybody’s pocket.”

Local Responsibility

Whether sirens could be put in place would likely be up to municipalities, depending on where people live. Alberta Public Safety and Emergency Services said in a statement to Global News that its emergency management services are decentralized, with local authorities having the responsibility for managing how they respond.

“It would be up to a local community to install a tornado siren in those areas of the province where there is a higher risk of tornadoes,” a spokesperson said in an email.

Improvements in Warning Systems

Despite calls for work on Canada’s systems, they still are steadily improving. The Northern Tornadoes Project, for example, issues report cards on its tornado warnings based on performance targets for Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). Sills said between the 2019-2021 report and their most recent for 2022, ECCC improved from a failing to passing grade.

Key Takeaway

Improving tornado warning systems in Canada is crucial to minimizing damage and saving lives. Experts argue for earlier and more accurate warnings and suggest leveraging existing communication technology, such as cell towers, instead of investing in traditional tornado sirens, which can be costly and have limited effectiveness.

Facts about Tornado Warning Systems in Canada Current warning systems in Canada rely on Environment and Climate Change Canada’s website, apps, and social media, as well as commercial and public broadcasters. Improving the accuracy and lead time of tornado warnings is a challenge due to the difficulty of predicting tornadoes. Tornado sirens, commonly used in the U.S., are not as prevalent in Canada due to cost considerations and the effectiveness of cell tower-based communication. The decision to install tornado sirens is generally left to local municipalities. The Northern Tornadoes Project evaluates and provides performance assessments for Canada’s tornado warnings.

Credit: globalnews.ca

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