Environment Canada confirms EF-2 tornado touched down in Barrie, Ont.
EF-2 #EF-2
Environment Canada has confirmed a tornado that ripped through a neighbourhood in Barrie’s south end on Thursday afternoon was a category EF-2 tornado.
The weather summary was published early Friday confirming the strength of the twister.
There was a preliminary rating of an EF-2 tornado with maximum wind speeds of 210 kilometres per hour, according to a damage survey team from Environment Canada and Western University.
Read more: ‘Extensive’ damage in Barrie’s south end after tornado moved through region, 9 injured
The majority of the damage from the tornado appeared to be concentrated to around five or six streets near Prince William Way and Mapleview Drive East.
The damage path was about five kilometres long and up to 100 metres wide, the weather agency noted, adding that the damage track may have continued towards Friday Harbour and over Lake Simcoe.
Images from the area showed shingles blown off rooftops, debris all over properties and along the roads, cars damaged and on their roofs, and major structural damage.
Environment Canada said thunderstorms had developed across most of southern Ontario on Thursday afternoon, with one severe thunderstorm that produced a tornado as it moved across Barrie.
It was just after 2:30 p.m. when a tornado tracked from a miniature golf course on Huronia Road and Mapleview Drive and continued eastward towards Prince William Way, the weather agency said.
Read more: Photos, videos posted online show extensive Barrie tornado aftermath
The tornado caused significant damage on the north side of Mapleview Drive, Environment Canada said.
“Trees were uprooted or toppled, and at least 10 roofs were removed,” the weather summary read. “The second floor was destroyed or removed from 2 houses.”
“A couple vehicles were overturned. Roof shingles were damaged or removed from a number of other homes along the damage track from the tornado.”
The Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale is a measurement tool used by meteorologists to rate the intensity of tornados in some countries such as Canada and is based on the damage they cause. Scaling starts at EF-0 (minor damage) to EF-5, which is incredible and devastating damage.
Barrie tornado: City councillor says top of her house is ‘gone’
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