Greenhouse damage extensive from EF1 tornado

By Mark Ribble

LEAMINGTON — Environment Canada, with assistance from the Northern Tornadoes Project at Western University, has confirmed that a brief tornado touched down in rural Leamington on Saturday, July 24.

The twister hit at approximately 10 pm on Road 4 West, causing serious damage to greenhouses at Grace Family Farms and C and B Farms.

Northern Tornadoes Project spokesperson Francis Lavigne-Theriault, says that wind speeds got up to 145 kmh in that specific area.

Severe tree damage near the rear of the Road 4 properties is evident in aerial photos and pictures taken on the ground by Theriault and his investigative team.

Damages are estimated to be in the millions, with a large pepper crop being destroyed.

The path of the tornado was estimated to be about 190 metres wide and was on the ground for about 2.48 kms.

A tornado also touched down in Windsor on the same day and has been confirmed as an EF0 level twister.

Greenhouse damage will total in the millions from the July 24 storm.

Photos courtesy of the Northern Tornadoes Project at Western University.

Trees severely damaged by the tornado.

Photos courtesy of the Northern Tornadoes Project at Western University.