Tornado watches and severe thunderstorm warnings have been issued across parts of Southern Quebec and Eastern Ontario for Thursday afternoon.
Wind likes from 90 to 110 kilometers an hour and “nickel to ping pong ball sized hail” could develop early in the afternoon in Toronto, according to Environment Canada.
“A tornado or two will be possible this afternoon before the threat transitions to primarily wind,” reads the latest information on the weather agency’s site. “This is a dangerous and potentially life-threatening situation.”
Thunderstorms are expected to develop early afternoon, and are likely to intensify as the system travels eastward. The risk for severe thunderstorms should diminish by late afternoon, says the weather agency.
Meteorologists with the Northern Tornadoes Project (NTP) tweeted are “expecting sufficient ingredients to come together” in Eastern Ontario and Southern Quebec for a “likely tornado threat.”
Ottawa, Brockville, Bancroft, Smith Falls, Stirling, Prescott, and Renfrew are among the areas in Ontario placed under a tornado watch by Environment Canada.
On Saturday, May 21, a tornado with wind speeds that peaked at 195 kilometers an hour touched down in Uxbridge, the first wind event to cause EF2 damage in Canada this year.
According to the Enhanced Fujita scale (EF-Scale) used to measure levels of intensity, an EF2 tornado can reach wind speeds of 180 to 220 kilometers an hour and has the ability to tear roofs off building, overturn vehicles and uproot large trees.
What to do in the event of a tornado
If a tornado warning is issued for your area, Environment Canada recommends people go indoors.
Go to a room on the lowest floor and stay away from outside walls and windows.
Good places to remain indoors would be foundations, bathrooms, stairwells, or interior closets, says the agency.
Don’t stay in a mobile home, inside a vehicle, a tent, a trailer or any other temporary free-standing shelter, and try to move indoors to a “strong building.”
If you are caught outside and unable to get indoors, as a last resort, Environment Canada says you should lie in a low spot and protect your head from flying debris.
Tornado watches are issued when atmospheric conditions are favorable for the development of thunderstorms that could produce tornadoes, says the agency.
Drivers should pay close attention to highway billboards that could provide updated information on driving conditions.
What is the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning?
According to Environment Canada, a tornado watch is issued when severe thunderstorms are forecast and conditions are “favorable for one or more tornadoes” to develop within a defined “watch zone.”
Watches usually encompass a large geographical area, while warnings are typically smaller areas and focused on cities.
the National Weather Service (NWS) in the US says a tornado watch requires people to be prepared, that tornadoes are possible and people should review and discuss emergency plans and check supplies.
The NWS says a tornado warning demands people take action, because a tornado has been sighted or detected on weather radar and poses “imminent danger to life and property.”
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