Canadian Tornadoes, Waterspouts,

Funnel Clouds and Imposters


I have started to put this page together to show various images of tornadoes in Canada and discuss their nature. Since I have yet to actually see one of these beasts in person (not that I haven't tried!), the photos are from various sources and are properly credited. Please credit the appropriate photographer if you happen to use any of these images.
 


August 4, 1999
 
 

Tornado in Burlington, Ontario as photographed by Brent Malseed from the Canadian Centre for Inland Waters. This tornado occurred in association with a thunderstorm cell with a well-defined velocity couplet indicative of a mesocyclone. Interestingly, the radar echo tops on this storm ranged between 8 and 10 km - defintely a low-topped supercell! This tornado produced F2 damage earlier in Flamborough and north of Burlington.



 

Tornado photographed by Brian Michiel at Clear Creek (near Long Point). Since the thunderstorm producing this tornado was out of King Doppler range, it is difficult to tell if there was an associated mesocyclone. It is hard to make out a defined wall cloud in the above pictures. Since this tornado occurred so close to the lake, and since the cell motion was nearly stationary as the tornado was reportedly occurring,  I am tempted to think this was a landspout or non-mesocyclone tornado occurring along the Lake Erie lake breeze front. Unfortunately, their will never be enough evidence to say one way or the other with any confidence.
 

Laura Duchesne and Dave Szozda of Kitchener captured from video this image of a funnel cloud on March 28, 1998. Though difficult to see, the funnel is near the top centre of the image and appears to be extending nearly horizontally toward the left. 
 
 


|Home| |Research Interests| |Current Research Projects| |Group Members| |Other Links|

Last update: April 11 , 2000