Environment Canada has confirmed that severe thunderstorms Tuesday, September 25 spawned as many as three tornadoes in extreme southwestern Ontario.
After assessing storm damage, the weather agency reported Saturday night that two tornadoes and one probable tornado occurred at around 9pm.
Damage in the Amherstburg area consisted of a brick welcome home sign being blown over as well as large tree branches down. Environment Canada says the damage is consistent with an EF-0 tornado. While there was no evidence of a long and narrow path of damage, typical of tornadoes, the area impacted was in line with the damage path of a twister that had occurred earlier in Michigan.
An EF-1 tornado with maximum winds of about 150 kilometres per hour has been confirmed in the McGregor area. Damage consisted of a garage that was pushed over, roof damage, and large trees down over a two kilometre long, 50 metre wide path.
Another confirmed EF-1 tornado with maximum winds of about 170 kilometres per hour destroyed a drive shed, damaged another building and trees in the Staples area. The damage path was about three kilometres long and 50 metres wide.
A tornado warning was issued for Sarnia-Lambton at about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday night and the city of Sarnia emergency warning sirens were activated. The warning was downgraded, however, to a severe thunderstorm warning before the storms, moving on a north-northeasterly track, reached the city.
