Ayr tornado upgraded to EF2 following damage investigation
Posted Sep 10, 2024 06:27:38 AM.
Last Updated Sep 10, 2024 10:28:21 AM.
A tornado that ripped through Ayr and Wolverton in August has been upgraded in severity after review by a team of experts.
The Northern Tornadoes Project team at Western University have surveyed the aftermath of the tornado that touched down in North Dumfries on Aug. 17.
They used drones to survey the area where the tornado struck, took some measurements, made some approximations, and explored the details of the event.
Photos of Ayr tornado damage
The Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale is used to assign a rating on storms based on wind speeds and damage.
The storm was originally classified as an EF1 tornado, but upon further review, it’s been upgraded to EF2, in part due to the damage it caused.
The tornado developed along the Nith River just north of Ayr, less than one kilometre away from Highway 401.
It laid destruction to trees, buildings, and vehicles for 7km, and at its widest, it was 400m wide.
The storm tossed two tractor trailers into the air and threw empty railcars onto their sides.
Drone photos taken by the Northern Tornadoes Project team show an overhead view of the Ayr Home Hardware with its roof torn off and lumber scattered across the yard.
No injuries were reported during the tornado.
On Monday, the Township of North Dumfries council pledged $8,500 to plant 17 trees in place of the ones that were ripped from the ground by the tornado.
