Canada's first tornado of the year officially confirmed in Ontario

The first Canadian tornado of 2024 has been officially recorded.

On March 16, the EF1 tornado with maximum wind speeds of 150 km/h, hit Malden Centre, Ontario, according to The Northern Tornadoes Project (NTP). That ties the record for the earliest tornado ever recorded in the province, which was in Clifford back in 2016.

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A storm damage survey was conducted on Saturday, April 13 after photo evidence of the March twister was sent to NTP.

"The roof had been removed from a well-anchored double-wide mobile home (max wind of 150 km/h giving an EF1 rating), there was shingle damage and a downed tree at another residence, and numerous pine and spruce trees were downed in a woodlot further along the track," NTP said in a blog post on Monday. "More tree damage would likely have occurred if the trees had been leafed out."

Drone footage of the damaged mobile home | Northern Tornadoes Project

An area of tight rotation was detected with radar evidence in the exact location where the damage occurred.

"The rotation was located along the leading edge of thunderstorm outflow, making this a QLCS tornado," NTP says.

The storm also produced large and severe hail, but at the time, no tornado warning had been issued.

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Most tornadoes in Canada occur in June and July, but the season can also extend from April to September, especially across sections of southwestern Ontario and the southern Prairies. While a mid-March twister is typically more rare, it's not completely unheard of, as tornadoes can occur at any time of the year.

Thumbnail image courtesy: Northern Tornadoes Project