Location
Essex, Ontario, Canada
Event Website
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9Ca6E8DXSs
Start Date
17-6-1946 7:10 PM
Document Type
Report (PDF/Word)
F-Scale Rating
F4
Classification
Confirmed
Description
The third deadliest tornado in Canadian history, and the most deadly ever recorded in Ontario.
Violent tornado originated in the Melvindale suburb of Detroit, Michigan, and tracked ENE into Canada, arriving at Brighton Beach. It then began its extremely destructive 20km track across the Windsor area before lifting off at Belle River on Lake St. Clair. Sometimes referred to as the “Windsor-Tecumseh Tornado”
Objects lofted high into the storm by the tornado were found great distances from their origins.
An airplane was picked up by the tornado in Detroit and landed on a house in Windsor, killing the residents inside. – from “Disasters of Ontario, 75 Stories of Courage and Chaos”, (René Biberstien)
Investigated by EC as a candidate for F5 rating upgrade. It was not warranted due to lack of evidence.
“In the surrounding countryside downpours covered roads to a depth of nearly 3 feet. Floods inundated 60-70,000 acres of agricultural lands as dykes at Erieau gave way causing $5 million damage to tomatoes, corn, potatoes, beets, and onion crops. The loss considered to be a tremendous set-back to farmers striving to produce more food for post war Europe. A pair of trousers found between Belle River and No. 2 HWY by Mrs. Walter Dourocher in her garden. In the pockets were telegrams and other identification that proved the pants to Waldo Beeman who along with his 19 year old bride and their baby were killed by the tornado.
Ray Milner, pilot of an incoming aircraft described the advancing tornado. “It was ripping through power lines and the ground was covered with blue flashes like the pictures of bombs bursting. I could see from my pilots seat in the plane how it crumpled buildings like eggshells. It would pick up other objects and whirl them around.””
Windsor
Essex, Ontario, Canada
The third deadliest tornado in Canadian history, and the most deadly ever recorded in Ontario.
Violent tornado originated in the Melvindale suburb of Detroit, Michigan, and tracked ENE into Canada, arriving at Brighton Beach. It then began its extremely destructive 20km track across the Windsor area before lifting off at Belle River on Lake St. Clair. Sometimes referred to as the “Windsor-Tecumseh Tornado”
Objects lofted high into the storm by the tornado were found great distances from their origins.
An airplane was picked up by the tornado in Detroit and landed on a house in Windsor, killing the residents inside. – from “Disasters of Ontario, 75 Stories of Courage and Chaos”, (René Biberstien)
Investigated by EC as a candidate for F5 rating upgrade. It was not warranted due to lack of evidence.
“In the surrounding countryside downpours covered roads to a depth of nearly 3 feet. Floods inundated 60-70,000 acres of agricultural lands as dykes at Erieau gave way causing $5 million damage to tomatoes, corn, potatoes, beets, and onion crops. The loss considered to be a tremendous set-back to farmers striving to produce more food for post war Europe. A pair of trousers found between Belle River and No. 2 HWY by Mrs. Walter Dourocher in her garden. In the pockets were telegrams and other identification that proved the pants to Waldo Beeman who along with his 19 year old bride and their baby were killed by the tornado.
Ray Milner, pilot of an incoming aircraft described the advancing tornado. “It was ripping through power lines and the ground was covered with blue flashes like the pictures of bombs bursting. I could see from my pilots seat in the plane how it crumpled buildings like eggshells. It would pick up other objects and whirl them around.””
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/ntp_mndta/1940s/1946/1