Stratford to Bright

Presenter Information

NTP Archives

Location

Perth-Oxford, Ontario, Canada

Start Date

7-8-1979 6:18 PM

Document Type

Report (PDF/Word)

F-Scale Rating

F4

Classification

Confirmed

Description

The first of two large, violent tornadoes to touch down in Southern Ontario on the evening of August 7. Some locals refer to this tornado and the Woodstock-Waterford tornado as if they were the same one, confusing the deaths and other statistics into a single event.

Witnesses and survivors stated that it was very still, hot, and humid leading up to the evening’s storms.

At about quarter after six, 5km SSW of Stratford, a funnel cloud touched down near Flannigan Corners and began to track SE toward the Perth/Oxford county line. It quickly began to take on violent characteristics as it tracked south of Tavistock over mainly open farmland. Over the township of East Zorra-Tavistock the tornado impacted multiple farms, destroying 100+ year-old houses, barns, silos, and other buildings over a 26km² area. It was approximately 1km wide and at full F4 intensity as it tracked through this region. Witnesses recall having a normal thunderstorm turn very bad and so fast they either sheltered in place or ran to their basements for cover as it was right upon them. Some described it as a very loud roar and nil visibility and sheets of whipped up rain, with some indicating they saw parts of houses lift off or objects being thrown. One man became trapped in his basement as the tornado demolished his house above him. After passing though East Zorra, the tornado then took a more easterly track as it crossed the Thames River north of Innerkip, still doing heavy damage to bush lots and croplands, but began to weaken as it turned ENE toward the small town of Bright. Around 7:00PM, the tornado began to lift off just 2.5km south of Plattsville along the Nith River. It had been on the ground for nearly almost 45 minutes and travelled nearly 30km.