Damage in the Comber area from a severe thunderstorm Tuesday, September 25 2018 (Photo courtesy of Carol Lamb)Damage in the Comber area from a severe thunderstorm Tuesday, September 25 2018 (Photo courtesy of Carol Lamb)
Windsor

Environment Canada confirms Essex tornadoes

Environment Canada has confirmed as many as three tornadoes may have touched down Tuesday in Essex County.

The weather agency said two confirmed tornadoes and one probable tornado happened around 9 p.m. on September 25.

One confirmed twister touched down near McGregor and the other near the village of Staples. The probable twister may have touched down in Amherstburg.

According to Environment Canada, an EF-1 tornado with maximum winds of about 150 kilometres per hour hit the McGregor area. The storm pushed over a garage, caused roof damage and knocked down large trees in its two kilometre long, 50 metre wide path.

The Staples area saw its own EF-1 tornado, but with maximum winds of about 170 kilometres per hour. It destroyed a drive shed, damaged another building along with some trees. This tornado's damage path was about three kilometres long and 50 metres wide.

The unconfirmed Amherstburg twister damaged a brick sign and knocked large tree branches down. Environment Canada says the damage is consistent with an EF-0 tornado. It added there was no evidence of a long, narrow path of damage, but the area was in line with the damage path of a tornado which occurred earlier in Michigan.

A Tornado Warning was issued for Chatham-Kent and Windsor-Essex at roughly 8:30 p.m. Tuesday. All  warnings were ended before 9:30 p.m. and Severe Thunderstorm Warnings were issued in their place.

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