MAY 31 - 2002

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS, TORNADOS

I almost typed in "1985" after May at the title up above.  As many will remember, May 31st is the day of the "Barrie Tornado" of 1985.  (There were actually numerous tornados touching down throughout the area that day, Barrie being the place of the worst destruction).

    Today started off with a boom, literally.  I awoke around 7am to thunder and moderate rain.  The storms continued throughout the day in various areas.  Watches and warnings were issue by Environment Canada as things developed.

    2 possible tornadoes - 1 west of Barrie (11:34am) near Hwy.90 and another in North Bay (4:22pm) near Hwy. 11 (photo below)

Photo credit:  John Fergsuon - North Bay, On

St. Catharines, 2pm video captures (vidcaps) - click thumbnail to view :

Still photos (scanned from film - I overexposed them a bit) :

GENERAL WEATHER STATEMENT
ISSUED BY ENVIRONMENT CANADA. REGIONAL CENTRE TORONTO ONTARIO.
6.46 PM EDT FRIDAY 31 MAY 2002.

  THUNDERSTORMS ROAR ACROSS THE EASTERN HALF OF ONTARIO..

 STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS SWEPT ACROSS SOUTHERN ONTARIO

THIS MORNING AS A COLD FRONT SWEPT ACROSS THE DISTRICT. THE
THUNDERSTORMS MOVED INTO EASTERN ONTARIO DURING THE AFTERNOON.
THERE WERE NUMEROUS REPORTS OF SMALL HAIL AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS
GIVING 15 TO 25 MM OF RAIN OVER A FEW MINUTES. MUCH OF THE SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY..INCLUDING A POSSIBLE TORNADO SIGHTING..WAS
REPORTED IN THE BARRIE AREA. THIS IS THE 17TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE
INFAMOUS BARRIE TORNADO OUTBREAK OF 31-MAY-1985.

  MEANWHILE AS THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING OUT OF EASTERN ONTARIO

LATE THIS AFTERNOON..A SECOND COLD FRONT TRIGGERED MORE STRONG TO
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER NORTHEASTERN ONTARIO. STRONG WINDS WERE
REPORTED AT TIMMINS AND A FUNNEL CLOUD SIGHTED FROM NORTH BAY.
  REPORTS RECEIVED BY ENVIRONMENT CANADA AS OF 6.30 PM EDT
ARE FOUND IN THE TABLE BELOW.

LOCATION         TIME         COMMENTS

LONDON          8.25 AM       PEA SIZE HAIL

                              23 MM RAIN

ANGUS          11.05 AM       SMALL TREES DOWN

(SW BARRIE)                   (8 CM TRUNK DIAMETER)
                              11 MM DIAMETER HAIL

BARRIE         11.15 AM       GOLF BALL (45 MM) SIZE HAIL

                              90 KM/H WINDS
                              HYDRO POLES DOWN

ANGUS          11.20 AM       GOLF BALL (45 MM) SIZE HAIL

KIMBERLY

(SE OWEN SOUND) 11.25 AM      20 MM (NICKEL) SIZE HAIL

BARRIE          11.30 AM      12 MM (MARBLE) SIZE HAIL

HWY 90 JUST     11.34 AM      POSSIBLE TORNADO

 W OF BARRIE

BLACKSTOCK      12.00 NOON    TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS

(NR PORT PERRY)               PEA SIZED HAIL COVERING THE GROUND

TIMMINS           4.00 PM     WIND GUST 104 KM/H

DOWNTOWN OTTAWA   4.10 PM     LARGE (CENTURY OLD) TREE BROKEN

                              IN HALF BY STRONG WIND GUST

NORTH BAY AIRPORT 4.22 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD

                              POSSIBLE BRIEF TOUCH DOWN
 

END/KUHN