Waterspouts over Montreal and the surrounding area

The tornado warning lifted, the weather was unleashed in Greater Montreal in the early evening with numerous lightning strikes, torrential rains, violent winds which caused the closure of several road sections. At least one tornado has been confirmed in Mirabel by Environment Canada, while others have been seen in Sorel-Tracy and Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, in particular. In Montreal, more than 160,000 customers were without power at the start of the evening.

At the end of the afternoon, very strong winds, lightning and intense rain hit the metropolis. Environment Canada reports that gusts of more than 90 km/h were recorded at Montreal-Trudeau airport, a speed corresponding to “violent winds”.

A tornado would have been seen in the vicinity of Mirabel while another would have been recorded not far from Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, in Montérégie, specifies the meteorologist at Environment Canada Katarina Radovanovic.

Another would also have been noted in Sorel-Tracy while the storm front that covered a good part of southwestern Quebec during the day progressed eastward.

The roof of the Ford dealership near exit 141 off Highway 30 was partially blown off. “There was a dreadful din, I’ve never been scared like that,” says Francine Gilbert, a store employee who was there when the wind hit. Customers and staff have been asked to get to safety away from windows.

“There were no injuries,” said Mr.^me Gilbert. In a split second, everything went black. I am still shocked. You don’t expect that. »

Steve Péloquin, an area resident who lives about 200 meters from the car dealership, says sheet metal debris from the roof landed on the street near his house. A tree was uprooted in his yard and several tree debris litter the streets. “A lightning fell, a transformer blew, then everything started flying in my yard: the barbecue, the swing, everything went upwind,” says Mr. Péloquin.

The warnings that were in effect earlier in the afternoon for the southwestern part of the province were lifted by Environment Canada shortly after 5 p.m. However, the warning is still in effect for Trois-Rivières and Louisville. Two tornadoes were also seen, respectively in the Mirabel and Salaberry-de-Valleyfield sectors.

Flooded streets in Montreal

In Montreal, “despite the force of the storm, no major damage has been caused to municipal infrastructure so far,” indicated the mayor, Valérie Plante, around 4:45 p.m. accumulations of water”, she however specified, on Twitter.

In several places on the island, the puddles created by the torrential rain are hampering traffic. This is the case, for example, at the corner of boulevard L’Assomption and rue Hochelaga, where several vehicles seem to have difficulty moving forward, in the middle of rush hour.

Around 6 p.m., traffic was still very dense on the main arteries of the City and in certain neighborhoods. Contacted by The Press, the SPVM reports having received several calls concerning flooding in the city center and for vehicles immobilized in the water. A junction of Highway 40 West is also flooded. However, apart from “a few broken trees”, the police department does not identify any major damage.

In the Montreal metro, no passenger could disembark at the Square Victoria-OACI station due to water infiltration, was able to observe The Press.

As for the tornado warning, “this is a dangerous situation that can cause fatal injuries. A tornado warning is issued when there are or will be thunderstorms that produce or are likely to produce tornadoes,” reads the website of the Ministère de la Sécurité publique du Québec.

In the event of a tornado or tornado warning, Environment Canada recommends going inside a building and choosing a room on the lowest level, away from windows and exterior walls. Suitable places could be a basement, bathroom, stairwell or indoor closet.

If you find yourself in a vehicle, mobile home, tent, trailer or other type of temporary shelter, it’s best to seek shelter in a sturdy building if possible, the federal agency says. As a last resort, lie on the ground in a low place and protect your head from objects that could be thrown.

Possible tornado in Ottawa

What appears to be a tornado was seen in Barrhaven, a southern district of Ottawa, according to several videos and photos on social media.

Ottawa police said they are “assessing the damage and assisting residents.” “This incident has a wide footprint and officers and partners are working diligently to assist anyone in need of assistance.

“Roads may be closed due to fallen trees, power lines, etc. “, continues the police force, on Twitter.

Earlier Thursday, Environment Canada issued a tornado watch for southern Quebec ahead of the afternoon and evening. The regions affected were then Montreal, Laval, Montérégie, Outaouais, Centre-du-Québec, Laurentides, Lanaudière and Mauricie.

Severe thunderstorms with the risk of “strong gusts, large hail and heavy rain” are also expected. Torrential rains can cause flash flooding and water accumulation on roads. “Nautical activities could prove to be dangerous due to the violent and sudden gusts that blow over bodies of water,” adds the federal agency.

Hydro-Québec said it was “on a weather watch” in a message posted on Twitter.

With William Thériault, Tristan Péloquin, Josée Lapointe, La Presse