Environment Canada says the damage done in Barrie, Orillia and Gravenhurst Friday wasn’t caused by tornadoes.
Storm damage investigators visited the region yesterday, July 20, 2013. They say evidence shows the damage was caused by straight-line winds instead of swirling tornadoes.
On July 19, several lines of severe thunderstorms crossed Southern Ontario ahead of a cold front. Severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings were issued across the region. There were dozens of reports of downed trees, snapped branches, power outages, hail, structural damage, and damaging winds.
Environment Canada also investigated in Hamilton and Eastern Ontario, which was particularly hard hit, ruling out tornadoes there as well.
Investigators will be out visiting other regions today, July 21, 2013.
Environment Canada has issued a list of the most damaging storm events, and when and where they happened.
Local major storm events:
- 11:20 a.m. – Gravenhurst - 2.5 cm hail
- 1:55 p.m. - Gravenhurst - large trees down, power lines down
- 2:30 p.m. – Coldwater - trees down and snapped, power outages
- 2:45 p.m. – Gravenhurst - cars overturned
- 2:50 p.m. – Orillia - trees down, power lines down, street lights snapped
- 2:55 p.m. - Lake Dalrymple - power lines and trees down
- 3:00 p.m. - Gull Lake - widespread tree damage
- 3:15 p.m. – Barrie - funnel cloud, trees down, caused damage to homes
- 3:20 p.m. – south east of Bracebridge - tree damage
- 3:20 p.m. – Bobcaygeon - trees uprooted
- 4:35 p.m. – Barrie - building damage, trees snapped, power outages
- 5:10 p.m. - Borden - wind gust of 96 km/h
- 5:30 p.m. – Innisfil - funnel cloud, tree limbs down
- 5:35 p.m. – south west of Bradford - funnel cloud
- 5:55 p.m. - Port Carling, Port Severn - mature trees down, trees snapped
- 5:55 p.m. – Gravenhurst - large trees down, power lines down
