Two tornadoes, just minutes apart, are confirmed to have touched down in London during the thick of last Saturday’s destructive storm.
A survey team from Western University’s Northern Tornadoes Project (NTP) determined the first of the two EF1 twisters formed in the Huron Heights neighbourhood in the northeast end of the city around 11:36 a.m. It had an estimated maximum wind speed of 160 km/h and travelled a path of 5.7 kilometres with a width of 450 metres.
The tornado tore off part of an apartment building roof, flipped a plane and damaged airport hanger doors, and uprooted and snapped numerous healthy trees.
The second EF1 tornado touched down in the Wilton Grove area in south London at 11:39 a.m. It had an estimated maximum wind speed of 185 km/h and went for 3.4 kilometres with a width of 400 metres.
Damage left by this twister included the partial wall collapse and roof removal of a warehouse, snapped and uprooted trees, and damage to a large hydro pole. Investigators determined the tornado lost strength almost immediately after hitting the warehouse as there was a lack of damage in the vicinity of the structure.
In both cases, NTP said the tornadoes occurred along the leading edge of what is known as a derecho, a long-lived, fast-moving thunderstorm with powerful winds. It formed south of Chicago, crossed into Canada in Windsor and moved across southwestern and southern Ontario Saturday morning. The same system also saw an EF2 tornado cause extensive damage in the Town of Uxbridge and a downburst in southern Ottawa. At least ten people were killed across the province, most by falling trees.
The severe storm saw 32,000 London Hydro customers lose power. Small pockets of the city remained in the dark three days later as crews worked tirelessly to repair downed hydro lines.
The City of London received approximately 450 service requests for tree damage following the wild weather. Crews tackled the most urgent issues first with priority given to areas where trees blocked roads or fell on houses or vehicles.
“Timelines remain difficult to determine with significant work underway and yet to be assessed in parks and natural areas where the tree damage is also substantial,” city officials said in a statement issued Friday. “All storm-related clean up including restoration of areas, stump removal, etc., is anticipated to take many weeks to complete.”
Londoners are being reminded that trees that fell on private property are the responsibility of the homeowner and that yard waste including tree limbs and brush can be placed at the curb during designated green weeks. Tree limbs and other yard waste can also be brought to one of the city’s four EnviroDepots during normal operating hours.
It has now been nearly one week since the destructive storm and investigators with NTP are continuing to follow up on “numerous reports” of significant damage across southern Ontario.
NTP has confirmed two EF1 tornadoes that occurred along the leading edge of the May 21st #derecho as it moved through London, ON.
Details at the NTP blog: https://t.co/n3xuVoKcTm
We continue to follow up on numerous reports of significant damage in southern Ontario.#ONStorm pic.twitter.com/5DfxkrMO7t
— Northern Tornadoes Project
(@westernuNTP) May 27, 2022
