Three more tornadoes for AB in 2023
Each fall, NTP conducts a thorough hi-res satellite review of all treed areas to see if there are any areas of tornado or downburst damage that we missed during the season (usually because there were no public reports from the area). The review has turned up a number of event in past years across the country. And this year is no exception.
This review has now been completed for Alberta, and we were able to find two additional tornadoes that occurred during the 2023 season - at McGregor Lake (Clearwater County) on June 17, rated EF1, and at Lawrence Lake (Hondo) on May 23, also rated EF1.
There is one other new tornado at Cynthia on July 24. It was witnessed by a number of storm chasers (example ) and the damage was initially documented by Mark Simpson and Bill Yeung (see ). NTP followed up with a thorough investigation, resulting in an EF0 rating.
This brings the total number of tornadoes for Alberta in 2023 to 19.
Details for these new tornadoes are provided below with a map. They can be plotted via our as well.
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Event Name: Lawrence Lake (Hondo), AB
Date: May 23, 2023
Start Time: 4:00 PM MDT (2200 UTC)
Final Classification: Tornado (over land)
Final EF-Scale Rating: EF1
Start of damage track: 55.0407N, 113.7760W
End of damage track: 55.1127N, 113.8096W
Location of worst damage: 55.1075N, 113.8069W
Description: Satellite imagery review revealed a tornado damage path in a forested area near Lawrence Lake (east of Hondo). Damage assessed as EF1 tornado, with an estimated max. wind speed of 145 km/h, track length of 8.48 km and max. path width of 200 m. Tornado motion was from the SSE (approx. 165 degrees). Start time is radar estimated.
Event Name: McGregor Lake (Clearwater County), AB
Date: June 17, 2023
Start Time: 1:10 PM MDT (1910 UTC)
Final Classification: Tornado (over land)
Final EF-Scale Rating: EF1
Start of damage track: 52.6617N, 115.8203W
End of damage track: 52.6621N, 115.8049W
Location of worst damage: 52.6611N, 115.8097W
Description: Satellite imagery review revealed a tornado damage path in a forested area near McGregor Lake (northeast of Nordegg in Clearwater County). Damage assessed as EF1 tornado, with an estimated max. wind speed of 145 km/h, track length of 1.05 km and max. path width of 180 m. Tornado motion was from the W (approx. 270 degrees). Start time is radar estimated.
Event Name: Cynthia, AB
Date: July 24, 2023
Start Time: 6:05 PM MDT (0005 UTC)
Final Classification: Tornado (over land)
Final EF-Scale Rating: EF0
EF-Scale Damage Indicator / Degree of Damage: C-T/DOD-4
Start of damage track: 53.3273N, 115.8357W
End of damage track: 53.3314N, 115.8252W
Location of worst damage: 53.3274N, 115.8350W
Description: Witness captured drone video of a brief tornado west of Cynthia. Private citizens completed a drone survey of the area, discovering tree damage in a forest recently impacted by fire. Damage assessed as EF0 tornado, with an estimated max. wind speed of 105 km/h, track length of 1.88 km and max. path width of 290 m. Tornado motion was from the SW (approx. 235 degrees). Satellite imagery review did not reveal any visible damage.
Map showing the locations of the three new AB tornadoes: the Lawrence Lake (Hondo) EF1 at top, the Cynthia EF0 at centre, and the McGregor Lake (Clearwater County) EF1 at bottom.
