Move over, snow: Why November tornadoes in Canada aren't that rare
Canada has already seen five tornadoes this year in November, and the month hasn't even reached the halfway point, yet. They are infrequent in November, but they aren't as rare as you may think
Most of us will turn our attention to winter weather come November, with snowfall already occurring in several spots by then, but it's not completely out of the question to still see severe summer weather such as severe thunderstorms and tornadoes during the month.
A perfect example of that occurred Sunday night in southern Ontario, which saw a line of severe storms push through from Michigan, resulting in a confirmed tornado in the Fergus area.
PHOTOS: Ontario sees relatively rare November tornado in Fergus area
So, how frequent are November tornadoes in Canada?
According to the 1991-2020 climate data on tornadoes, one is expected to occur about every four to five years in November across Canada.
B.C.
A wicked windstorm swept through southern British Columbia on Monday, Nov. 4, 2024,, leaving hundreds of thousands without power and even washing a number of boats ashore.
As part of the same system, a confirmed tornado occurred near Sechelt, a small community located on the lower Sunshine Coast northwest of Vancouver, B.C.
Another recent occurrence of a November tornado in B.C. happened in 2021, caused minor tree damage at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and immediate vicinity.
Ontario
With Monday's confirmation in Ontario, there have been five twisters documented in the province during the month:
Hamilton - Nov. 9, 2005
Charleville (Prescott) - Nov. 23, 2013
Georgetown - Nov. 15, 2020
Sharon - Nov. 21, 2021
Fergus - Nov. 10, 2024
The latest on record for the province dates back to Dec. 12, 1946, in Exeter, Ont.
Quebec
There have been eight recorded twisters in Quebec in the month of November, with three of them occurring in 2022 and the first on record being observed in 1989.
Quebec has similar environments to Ontario in November. Strong low-pressure systems can provide the necessary dynamics to cause rotation and, ultimately, tornadoes.
New Brunswick
While New Brunswick tornadoes are rare, no matter what time of the year, what’s even more surprising are November twisters. But, New Brunswick saw at least three tornadoes this year in November, and the month isn't even halfway through, yet.
It's an oddity to think that of New Brunswick's four tornadoes in 2024, three of them occurred in November.
Factors such as wind shear can be quite high and enhance rotation potential in November. Instability is generally modest in November, so we have to rely on the aforementioned dynamics to make them happen.
The low-level jet plays a role, too, so strong gusts can mix down to the surface and produce straight-line wind damage in November, as well. The good news is that tornadoes in November tend to be short-lived and brief.
With files from Tyler Hamilton, a meteorologist at The Weather Network, and Nathan Howes, a digital reporter at The Weather Network.
