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Ontario municipality

Tornadoes in Ottawa

Ottawa proved in 2018 that the capital region can take multiple strong tornadoes in a single evening. Here is Ottawa's tornado history and what residents should know.

The local risk

The Ottawa Valley funnels and focuses severe storms moving out of Ontario.
September 21, 2018: six tornadoes including two EF3s hit the region.
Dunrobin, Arlington Woods, and Gatineau across the river all took direct hits.
Storms crossing the Ottawa River retain intensity — the river is no barrier.
Peak season: June-September, slightly later than southwestern Ontario.

Notable events affecting the area

September 21, 2018 outbreak — six tornadoes, two EF3s (Dunrobin-Gatineau, Arlington Woods). Zero deaths thanks to Alert Ready warnings.
1994 Aylmer F3 — one death on the Quebec side.
1978 and 1999 area events — weaker but confirmed.
Post-2018 events — the Northern Tornadoes Project has confirmed additional weak tornadoes in the valley most years.

How warnings reach you here

Environment Canada issues tornado watches and warnings for this region.
Alert Ready pushes warnings to every compatible cell phone — no signup needed.
The Northern Tornadoes Project (Western University) surveys and confirms events after the fact.
WeatherCAN app (Environment Canada) provides location-based alerts.
Local radio and TV carry Environment Canada warnings.

Preparedness for this area

Alert Ready saved lives here in 2018 — keep it enabled and take it seriously.
Basement shelter within 60 seconds of an alert.
The 2018 Merivale substation strike cut power to 250,000+ — keep a 72-hour kit.
The tornado crossed provinces; warnings from either Ontario or Quebec apply to the whole capital region.
September tornadoes are real here — don't drop your guard after summer.

The Canadian context

Canada averages 60-100 confirmed tornadoes per year — second only to the US.
True count is likely higher; the Northern Tornadoes Project keeps finding missed events in forests and sparsely-populated areas.
Canada's only F5: Elie, Manitoba (2007).
Deadliest: Regina 1912 (28 dead).
Basements are near-universal in Canadian housing — a major survival advantage.

Learn more

Further reading