2007 Southern Manitoba tornado outbreak
Page Template:Infobox weather event/style.css has no content.
Script error: The function "pwarning" does not exist.Clockwise from top: The Elie tornado as seen from Elie, Manitoba, with the Blessed Sacrament Church of Elie in the foreground; a path map, depicting the sporadic trajectory of the Elie tornado; the Elie and Oakville, Manitoba tornadoes, seen from the same vantage point; radar imagery of the Oakville, Manitoba tornado as it began to form. | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Duration | June 22-23, 2007 |
| Tornado outbreak | |
| Tornadoes | 6 |
| Maximum rating | F5 tornado |
| Duration | 2 days |
| Highest winds | Tornadic – 261 mph (420 km/h) (Elie, Manitoba F5 on June 22) |
| Largest hail | 2.75 inches (7.0 cm) in Morden, Manitoba on June 22) |
| Overall effects | |
| Casualties | None |
| Damage | $41.1 million (2007 CAD) |
| Areas affected | Southern Manitoba, Canada |
| Script error: The function "split" does not exist. IBTrACS | |
Part of the Tornadoes of 2007 | |
During June 22-23, 2007, a localized but potent tornado outbreak affected the Canadian province of Manitoba, particularly the southern part of the province. Despite the small scale of this outbreak, it featured various significant (F2+) tornadoes, including the Elie, Manitoba F5 tornado on June 22, for which the outbreak is most well-known. In addition to the Elie tornado, the system produced three F3 tornadoes: the Oakville, Manitoba tornado (June 22), the Pipestone, Manitoba tornado (June 23), and the Minto-Baldur, Manitoba tornado (June 23; spawned from the same parent supercell as the Pipestone tornado).[1]
The environmental setup that accompanied this outbreak was unseasonably intense, especially for the province of Manitoba, which has only seen one violent (F4/EF4+) tornado since the Elie tornado.[1] No casualties (injuries of fatalities) were reported during this outbreak sequence. However, damage costs from the Elie tornado alone amounted to $39,000,000 (2007 CAD). The other significant tornadoes from this outbreak did cause structural damage, but the costs of this damage were not recorded.[1]
Many scientific curiosities came with this tornado outbreak. Most notable was the F5-level damage that the Elie tornado caused, as the tornado was rated F5 through videographic evidence of a well-anchored home failing and being lofted 75 ft (23 m) into the air by the tornado, before being thrown around the funnel and disintegrated midair. At the time of this damage, the Elie tornado was roping out and was a mere 45 yd (41 m) wide. It has been suspected that conservation of angular momentum, as well as the vortex breakdown that the tornado was undergoing, may have caused it to strengthen dramatically.[2]
Meteorological Synopsis
Prior to the event, 1200 UTC 500-mb mesoscale analysis revealed the presence of a building upper ridge over the southern Prairies region of Canada, specifically in the southern Alberta and Saskatchewan regions, with a minor shortwave trough accompanying this ridge over Alberta. A thermal ridge was also noted in the southern Saskatchewan area, preventing storm formation and increasing heating in the upper atmosphere. Winds contained within a jet max at 800 hPa reached 10-15 m s⁻¹ (22-34 mph) as they rounded the western half of a high pressure ridge situated over the High Plains. This intense jet stream continually advected moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, allowing any developing storms to have access to large amounts of inflow. The directional and magnitudinal change of wind with height, known as wind shear, was also observed during this time, further contributing to an environment favorable for storm development.[3] At the surface, multiple disconnected lows were present, with one surface low over southern Saskatchewan featuring a warm front that extended to the east, into the Interlake region of the province of Manitoba. Due to this low, warm temperatures and high dew point values were advected into the region, increasing instability in the atmosphere. By 1800 UTC, this surface low had moved east and positioned itself directly over Dauphin Lake, with surrounding temperatures reaching 26-28°C (79-82°F), and dew points skyrocketing to 18-20°C (64-68°F). At this time, a significant elevated mixed layer (EML) remained over the area, preventing convection and storm activity but allowing for instability to continue to rise. By 2100 UTC, the area of low pressure had finally migrated to the southern basin of Lake Manitoba, and remained quasi-stationary for hours, with the Elie tornado initiating off of a dry line ahead of a cold front that extended from the low. It is noted that a cold pool and gravity waves may have affected the development of both the Elie tornado, as well as other tornadoes in the surrounding area.[3]
Confirmed tornadoes
| FU | F0 | F1 | F2 | F3 | F4 | F5 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6[Note 1] |
| F# | Location | County / Parish | Province | Start Coord. | Date | Time (UTC) | Path length | Max width | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F5 | Elie area | Central Plains | MB | 49°54′N 97°46′W / 49.90°N 97.76°W Fatal error: The format of the coordinate could not be determined. Parsing failed. |
June 22 | 23:25 | 6 km (3.7 mi) | 300 m (330 yd) | See article on this tornado — A unusually concentrated and violent F5 tornado touched down near Elie, causing damage to multiple homes, vehicles, and vegetation. Along Elie St., the tornado impacted a well-constructed, bolted home at F5 strength, causing it to fail instantaneously. This bolted home was then lofted 75 ft (23 m) into the air, where it was disintegrated midair as it was centrifuged around the tornado's funnel. At first, the tornado was rated F4, but after footage revision and confirmation that this home had failed instantaneously, it was officially upgraded to an F5 rating — the first in Canadian history. |
| F3 | Oakville area | Central Plains | MB | 49°48′N 97°56′W / 49.80°N 97.93°W Fatal error: The format of the coordinate could not be determined. Parsing failed. |
June 22 | 23:55 | 10 km (6.2 mi) | 200 m (220 yd) | See article on this tornado - While the Elie tornado was still on the ground, a new, destructive tornado developed about 12 miles (19 km) to the southwest. This tornado tracked through rural areas south of Oakville, Manitoba, causing damage to trees, outbuildings, grain storage bins, and farm machinery. Multiple farmsteads and frame houses were destroyed as well, resulting in an F3 rating, with estimated winds between 158–206 mph (254–332 km/h).[4] |
| F3 | NW of Pipestone | Pipestone | MB | 49°28′48″N 100°49′48″W / 49.480°N 100.830°W Fatal error: The format of the coordinate could not be determined. Parsing failed. |
June 24 | 01:15 | 60 km (37 mi) | 1,800 m (2,000 yd) | This large wedge tornado completely destroyed two homes and damaged many trees and several wheat fields. Damage amounted to C$2 million.[5] This tornado was captured on camera, with dramatic footage of the formation, intensification, and even when the tornado displayed multiple vortices, available online.[6] |
| F3 | S of Minto to S of Baldur | Argyle | MB | 49°21′43″N 100°04′05″W / 49.362°N 100.068°W Fatal error: The format of the coordinate could not be determined. Parsing failed. |
June 24 | 02:10 | 55 km (34 mi) | 800 m (870 yd) | The storm system responsible for the Pipestone tornado cycled and produced this intense F3 tornado, which impacted areas south of Minto and Baldur in Manitoba. Though no significant property damage was found, extreme treefall damage, as well as damage to vegetation in general, was observed. Lines of trees were sheared and debarked throughout the tornado's 55 km (34 mi) path. Because the supercell that produced the Baldur tornado had become increasingly rainwrapped, no official photos of the tornado's funnel exist.[7] |
Elie, Manitoba
Page Template:Infobox weather event/style.css has no content.
| File:F5 tornado Elie Manitoba 2007.jpg The tornado approaching the town of Elie, Manitoba, around 6:50 p.m. CDT. | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| F5 tornado | |
| on the Fujita scale | |
Part of the Tornadoes of 2007 |
This rare, narrow, erratic and powerful tornado tracked primarily southeast, as opposed to the usual northeasterly motion of tornadoes, and it made multiple loops and sharp turns as it got near the town of Elie, Manitoba.[8][9] While several houses were leveled, no one was injured or killed by the tornado.[10] A well-built, anchored home in Elie was swept off of its foundation, with the entire house being lofted by the tornado and disintegrated midair, justifying an F5 rating. One of the strongest twisters in the modern era, it is one of only eleven to be rated F5/EF5 since the 1999 Bridge Creek-Moore tornado. Damage costs were estimated at $39 million ($56.1 million in 2024). This is the last F5 tornado to be rated since Canada adopted the EF scale in 2013. [citation needed] [better source needed]
Oakville, Manitoba
Page Template:Infobox weather event/style.css has no content.
| File:Oakville Mikhayla Tkachyk.jpeg The Oakville tornado, as it appeared south of Oakville, Manitoba. | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Duration | Unknown |
| Formed | June 22, 2007, 6:55 p.m. CDT (UTC−05:00) |
| Dissipated | Unknown |
| F3 tornado | |
| on the Fujita scale | |
| Path width | 200 metres (0.124 mi; 219 yd) |
| Path length | 10.0 km (6.2 mi) |
| Highest winds | 158 to 206 mph (254 to 332 km/h) |
| Overall effects | |
| Casualties | None |
| Areas affected | Oakville, Manitoba and Fannystelle, Manitoba, Canada |
| Script error: The function "split" does not exist. IBTrACS | |
Part of the Tornadoes of 2007 | |
At approximately 6:55 p.m. CDT (23:55 UTC), as the Elie tornado was ongoing, a separate storm system produced a slender but intense tornado around 12 miles (19 km) to the west of Elie, south of the farming community of Oakville, Manitoba. This tornado took a winding path towards the southeast, exhibiting erratic, looping movements — similar to the Elie tornado. Throughout its short path, no injuries or deaths were reported, but the tornado caused sizable damage to vegetation, namely to trees and crops. Severe instances of structural damage were also noted, such as the collapse of a frame home near Oakville, an old farm house being "obliterated to its foundation", the destruction of multiple outbuildings (including a Quonset), and the destruction of grain bins and farm machinery at multiple farm sites.[11]
Because the view to the Elie and Oakville tornadoes was unobstructed, multiple witnesses — specifically those along the Trans-Canada Highway — were able to see both tornadoes on the ground simultaneously, making for a rare event. Many photographs exist that show both the Elie and Oakville tornadoes from the same vantage point.[12]
The Oakville tornado made contact with the ground at 6:55 p.m. CDT (2355 UTC), approximately 15.4 km (9.6 mi) south of the community of Oakville. From then, it proceeded to impact a series of farmsteads in rural areas south of the Trans-Canada Highway, causing considerable damage in the process. Several outbuildings were clipped or otherwise destroyed along the tornado's 10 km (6.2 mi) path, grain storage bins were reportedly crushed and thrown, and multiple farmsteads and frame homes suffered complete collapse. Per the Northern Tornadoes Project (2024), EC-PNR records indicated that the F3 rating of the Oakville tornado was based on the complete destruction and sweeping of an old farmhouse, with shearing and debarking of hardwood trees noted at the site. Sources also indicate that a quonset hut — a very common sight in rural southern Manitoba, mainly used for agricultural purposes — was destroyed, and heavy farm machinery was tossed and damaged. Witness photographs of the damage from the tornado also confirm that multiple wooden power lines were downed, a frame house collapsed in on itself with few interior walls remaining upright, and rows of shelterbelt trees were shredded, debarked, and occasionally sheared to ground level. Aerial imagery from after the tornado also shows the possible disappearance of vegetation around the affected areas.[11]
It is suspected that the tornado dissipated shortly afterwards, at around 0010 UTC June 23 (7:10 p.m. CDT June 22) per radar imagery, though a specific dissipation time is not available.[3] The tornado reached a maximum documented width of 200 meters (0.12 mi) and carved an erratic, winding path 10 km (6.2 mi) long through areas near Oakville and Fannystelle, Manitoba.[13] The tornado caused no casualties due to its rural impact, but did cause significant structural and contextual damage. Based on the previously mentioned destruction of an old farmhouse, the tornado reached estimated winds up to 158-206 mph (254-332 km/h).[11]
See also
- Tornadoes of 2007
- 2007 Elie tornado
- List of Canadian tornadoes and tornado outbreaks (2000–present)
Notes
- ↑ According to https://web.archive.org/web/20160307165245/http://recordmeteo.com/tornado-canada/tornado-saskatchewan-2007-6-23-en-297.html, an F1 tornado was recorded near the hamlets of Lampman and Steelman, Saskatchewan. However, the official Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) database does not recognize this tornado, and no verifiable sources mention the tornado. No media exists of the tornado or its damage. Because the fact that this tornado even happened cannot be confirmed, it has not been included. The same recordmeteo website also mentions an F0 tornado near Carnduff, Saskatchewan, which has no verifiable source.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Canadian National Tornado Database: Verified Events (1980-2009) - Public GIS EN". Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). Retrieved July 30, 2026.
- ↑ McCarthy, Patrick J.; Carlsen, D.; Slipec, J. (October 29, 2008). "Elie, Manitoba, Canada, June 22, 2007: Canada's first F5 tornado". Conference on Severe Local Storms.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Hobson, Justin J. (2011). "Meteorological Analysis of the 22 June 2007 F5 Tornado in Elie, Manitoba". University of Manitoba. Retrieved July 19, 2026.
- ↑ "Oakville, MB F3 Tornado of June 22, 2007". Highways & Hailstones. Retrieved July 18, 2026.
- ↑ "Canada Tornado Database: Tornado F3, Manitoba 2007-6-23". Record Meteo. 2013. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
- ↑ "HIGH DEFINITION HUGE MANITOBA TORNADO! June 23, 2007 -". YouTube.
- ↑ "Canada Tornado Database: Tornado F3, Manitoba 2007-6-22". Record Meteo. 2013. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved July 19, 2026. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "P9.10 Elie, Manitoba, Canada, June 22, 2007: Canada's first F5 tornado (2008 - 24SLS_24sls)". ams.confex.com. Retrieved 2022-03-31.
- ↑ Assessing tornado damage: EF-scale vs. F-scale Archived April 27, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
- ↑ "Canada's Top Ten Weather Stories for 2007". Environment Canada Archived. Environment Canada. 30 December 2009. Retrieved 13 November 2015.[dead link]
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 "ArcGIS Dashboards". Retrieved July 19, 2026.
- ↑ "The Elie and Oakville tornado pictures from June 22, 2007". University of Manitoba. Retrieved July 19, 2026.
- ↑ "Canadian National Tornado Database: Verified Events (1980-2009) - Public GIS EN". Environment and Climate Change Canada. Retrieved July 19, 2026.
Template:2007 tornado outbreaks
This article "2007 Southern Manitoba tornado outbreak" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:2007 Southern Manitoba tornado outbreak. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
