Tornado warning issued for Windsor-Essex
A tornado warning for Windsor-Essex has ended, but a severe thunderstorm watch for the region continues.
At 4:03 p.m. on Wednesday, Environment Canada meteorologists say they were tracking a severe thunderstorm that is possibly producing a tornado. Damaging winds, large hail and locally intense rainfall are also possible.
Monica Vaswani, warning preparedness meteorologist for Environment and Climate Change Canada, said a line of thunderstorms moving west to east travelled through the region from Michigan. Along that line as it moved through the Windsor-Essex region, that indicated some rotation on radar, which prompted the tornado warnings. The rotation is no longer present on radar.
As the line of thunderstorms rolled through the region, with it came heavy rain and strong winds taking down a number of hydro poles and trees in its wake.
A downed hydro pole due to severe weather in the 1100 block of Gesto Side Road in Essex, Ont. on Wednesday, July 26, 2023. (OnLocation/Twitter)
A fallen tree due to a severe storm causes damage to a home at the intersection of Church St. and Wyandotte St. in Windsor, Ont. on Wednesday, July 26, 2023. (Courtesy: Ron and Danielle Parker)
Monica Vaswani, warning preparedness meteorologist for Environment and Climate Change Canada, said a line of thunderstorms moving west to east travelled through the region from Michigan. Along that line as it moved through the Windsor-Essex region, that indicated some rotation on radar, which prompted the tornado warnings. The rotation is no longer present on radar.
Vaswani said Environment and Climate Change Canada does not currently know of any tornadoes that have touched down in the region, but there have been reports of very high wind gusts.
“We have seen actual reports, so Harrow did report a wind gust as high as, I believe, 91 km/h. What warrants a severe thunderstorm for winds would be 90 km/h so that is definitely in the severe category,” she said.
Vaswani said parts of southwestern Ontario are still under a severe thunderstorm warning, including Chatham-Kent and Rodney. The warning for Windsor-Essex has ended, but the region is still under a watch.
“There is still some thunderstorm and shower activity behind this line, the main line however has moved ahead. I would caution against thinking that all’s clear. We do still have severe thunderstorm watches in the Windsor area, so I would wait until those watches have been dropped to take that as a go that everything’s sort of calmed down in Windsor,” she said.
Vaswani reminds residents to continue to making sure that you’re keeping an eye on the updated severe thunderstorm watches, warnings and of course possible tornado warnings.
The forecaster issued the following tips for any tornado warning:
If you hear a roaring sound or see a funnel cloud, swirling debris near the ground, flying debris, or any threatening weather approaching, take shelter immediately.
Go indoors to a room on the lowest floor, away from outside walls and windows, such as a basement, bathroom, stairwell or interior closet.
Leave mobile homes, vehicles, tents, trailers and other temporary or free-standing shelter, and move to a strong building if you can.
As a last resort, lie in a low spot and protect your head from flying debris.
Tornado warnings are issued when imminent or occurring thunderstorms are likely to produce or are producing tornadoes. Please continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada.
A fallen tree due to a severe storm causes damage to a home at the intersection of Church St. and Wyandotte St. in Windsor, Ont. on Wednesday, July 26, 2023. (Courtesy: Ron and Danielle Parker)
