Monday’s tornado in southern Ontario was one of the rarest in Canada

Digital WritersThe Weather Network
Digital Writers

A tornado that hit Port Albert, Ontario, early Monday morning wasn’t unusual because of its size or its damage—but because of the strange time it touched down.

It’s not every day you see a tornado in Canada, but it’s extraordinary to see a tornado in Canada before the day has even started.

The tornado that swept into Port Albert, Ontario, from the eastern waters of Lake Huron early Monday morning was one of those rare tornadoes that touched down before sunrise.

Port Albert Ontario Tornado Sept 6 2021

A survey conducted by the Northern Tornadoes Project (NTP) found that an EF-0 tornado hit Port Albert at 4:05 a.m. on Monday, September 6, as a supercell thunderstorm rolled ashore from Lake Huron.

NTP’s analysis found that the tornado stayed on the ground for 2.3 km and reached a maximum width of 175 m. The tornado produced “notable tree damage,” according to their survey, that was consistent with maximum winds of about 115 km/h.

4:05 a.m. is an exceedingly rare time of the day to witness a tornado in Canada. Most tornadoes across the country develop during the afternoon and evening hours as severe thunderstorms thrive with the heat of the day.

Nighttime tornadoes are exceptionally dangerous because people in harm’s way are often sleeping or otherwise tuned out from the threat for severe weather. The inability to see the tornado coming adds to the danger of these nocturnal twisters.

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