Tag: derecho

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Cottage Life

Last year’s top 10 Canadian weather events

By Petri Volanen/Shutterstock

Late in 2022, Environment and Climate Change Canada released its annual list of the top 10 weather events of the year. Sure, weather stats show that 2021 was more destructive, disruptive, and expensive than 2022. But last year was no weather picnic. Remember Fiona? Remember the billion-dollar derecho? “In 2022, Mother Nature either froze, buried, soaked, smothered, blew at, or frightened us at various times throughout the year,” the ECCC announced in its official roundup press release. Here’s which events made the top 10. Drum roll, please!

 

No. 1 Hurricane Fiona

No surprise here: Fiona topped the destruct-o list. She pummelled Atlantic Canada with rain, wind, storm surges, and waves; rainfall amounts topped 150 mm in parts of the Maritimes and eastern Quebec, and rainfall rates, at times, exceeded 30 mm per hour. Winds exceeded 100 km/h in five provinces, blowing, in some cases, for 12 hours straight, knocking down power poles and 100-year-old trees. It was “likely the most damaging hurricane in Canadian history,” says the ECCC. No kidding.

Insurance and government overlook cottagers affected by Hurricane Fiona

No. 2 The Ontario and Quebec derecho

If you didn’t know what a derecho was at the beginning of 2022, you do now. The group of thunderstorms that hit Ontario and Quebec over the May long weekend was the first time in the history of the ECCC’s weather service that the government issued a severe weather phone alert through the National Public Alerting System. According to the ECCC, the service only issues such an alert if winds reach 130 km/h or if the storm produces hail that measures more than seven centimetres (picture spheres the size of baseballs falling from the sky).

Experts weigh in on how damaging the May long weekend storm was

No.3 A wet, wet spring in Manitoba

Record amounts of melting snow combined with record amounts of rain—more than three times the 30-year normal—meant that the province experienced some of its most extensive and longest-lasting flooding in years. The heavy rainfalls happened intensely and quickly, faster than the still-frozen ground could absorb the excess water. Multiple rivers were at risk of overflowing; 45 municipalities and nine First Nation communities across the province declared local states of emergency.

Cottagers told to evacuate as severe flooding persists in southeast Manitoba

No. 4 Hot and dry all over

Summer 2022 was the third-warmest on record for Canada (2012 and 1998 were hotter); temperatures were, across the country, nearly 1.6°C “above normal.” A huge and persistent heat dome engulfed much of Western North America. It wasn’t as intense as the 2021 heat dome, but it lasted longer, and many weather-recording sites broke century-long records for August through October.

No.5 The double-coast wildfires

Even though the B.C. wildfire season started slowly thanks to a wet spring (see No.6), by July it was in full force. The first major blaze (the Nohomin Creek Fire) broke out on July 14 just west of Lytton, B.C. By the end of July, another major blaze, the Keremeos Creek wildfire, had broken out near Penticton. By the beginning of August, the provincial government had issued 1,000 property evacuations. On the other side of the country, meanwhile, parts of central Newfoundland were experiencing the worst wildfires in more than 60 years. Why? Summer temperatures were warmer by 2 to 3°C and rainfall was, across the province, up to 70 per cent below normal.

Over 300 properties, mountain resort, ordered to evacuate wildfire zone in B.C.

No. 6 Spring is winter in B.C.

In B.C., winter 2022 lasted until nearly the first day of summer. Multiple communities across the province had record-breaking lows over the Easter weekend. In fact, twenty-seven record-low temperatures were set on April 16; Vancouver registered its coldest day for that month since observations began in 1896. Nanaimo, meanwhile, experienced its wettest April since 1892. And in Victoria, between May 20 and June 18—a.k.a. the dry season—23 out of 30 days were wet. Ugh.

No. 7 Super-storms in the Prairies

July in the Prairies was stormy. Super stormy. At least four powerful and dangerous July thunderstorms barrelled from the Alberta foothills to eastern Manitoba, bringing rain, huge hail, gusty winds, and tornadoes. The first one hit the afternoon of July 7, developing over central and southern Alberta. The town of Bergen recorded an EF-2 tornado—wind speeds between 180 and 190 km/h. The next day brought golf-ball size hail and four more tornadoes in parts of Saskatchewan (near Paynton and Blaine Lake). Then, on July 9, yet another tornado touched down near Argyle. Unfortunately, that tornado-tastic storm was just the first in the month-long series of storms. Take a break, Mother Nature!

No.8 The “humongous” amount of rain in Montreal

September brought urban flooding—a phenomenon “that is becoming more frequent and more impactful”—to the Quebec city. Downtown, along with the eastern suburbs, received a month’s worth of rain in just two hours. The downpour swamped intersections and underpasses with up to a metre of water. Highways and streets had to close, and water poured into Montreal Metro stations. Flooded pipes and sewers shot manhole covers into the air, and cars were stranded. According to the ECCC, insurance losses totalled $166 million. This makes the Montreal rain event the third most expensive extreme weather disaster in 2022 after the Ontario-Quebec derecho and Hurricane Fiona.

How will climate change affect your property? A new tool shows you

No.9 Record-breaking cold to ring in the new year

In December 2021, an extremely cold air mass from Siberia descended across most of Northern and Western Canada. On Christmas Eve, the N.W.T’s Deadmen Valley recorded a low of -45°C. (The only place on earth colder was Yakutsk, Russia, at -48°C.) Elsewhere, at times, everywhere from B.C. to Northern Ontario was under an extreme cold weather warning, with wind chills ranging between -40 and -55. On December 26, Key Lake, Sask., plunged to -42.1°C (-50 wind chill); two days later, Edmonton, Alta., followed suit, breaking a record set in 1880. The new year was worse, especially for those in the Northwest Territories. Between January 5 and 7, the temperature in Whitehorse plummeted to -44.8°C and at Watson Lake it bottomed out at -52.2°C. (A record-low, of course.)

Do you dress for the cold weather the right way?

No. 10 Three weekends of January storms in Atlantic Canada

Atlantic Canada couldn’t catch a break in January 2022. During the first week of the year, a storm intensified into a bomb cyclone along the Eastern seaboard before arriving in the Maritimes. Cape Breton got the worst of the storm’s snow: up to 50 cm. Then, on January 15, Cape Breton got another smackdown as a similar storm from the mid-Atlantic directly hit it. Poor Cape Breton. Finally, at the end of the month, a third weekend storm formed in the south before walloping New England and getting stronger as it closed in on Canada. In New Brunswick, the added snow, dumped onto already huge snow drifts, lead to zero visibility conditions, and northern parts of Nova Scotia were hit with more than 40 cm. Snow-maggedon!

And…that’s a wrap on 2022. Let’s see what 2023 brings. Get ready.

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Cottage Life

Lessons from my misadventures in cottage country

Photo from lzf/Shutterstock

When I think of the cottage, I imagine a sparkling blue lake, surrounded by laughter and serenity. However, my last few cottage-country experiences were anything but peaceful. Our explorations outside the city started with high hopes and ended with us feeling humbled by our surroundings, but would I trade these misadventures with smooth sailing? I would not.

Our first summer mishap started when my partner Behrad and our dog Popsie planned a two-week all-Ontario road trip from Toronto to Thunder Bay. Dotted i’s and crossed t’s, the itinerary was perfect. We were going to conquer the most exciting hikes, and visit Northern Ontario’s hidden gems. Our first stop? Killarney’s “The Crack.” 

We made it to the first lookout. We walked to the edge of the flat windswept rocky terrain, where we breathed in the fresh air and admired the sea of evergreen trees, appreciating the silence. No cars, no horns, no city hustle and bustle. Only a couple of minutes passed before Behrad suddenly turned sharply, towards the steep rocky path, riddled with large boulders, big and small cobblestones, and exposed roots, calling over his shoulder “Let’s goooo!”

Slow and steady was my usual approach, but Behrad and Popsie were eager to reach the top. After stretching our limbs past comfort and scraping our elbows and knees along the dusty sharp rocks, we finally made it. Gorgeous 365-degree views left us speechless. No longer did the mountains tower over us, but instead they looked like foothills in the distance. The Crack, a four-metre wide divide between giant rocky walls, was a bonus, framing the view, nature’s own Van Gogh at play.

I thought the way up was challenging, but the way back down was worse. Gravity thrust us forward, increasing our momentum, as we tap danced our feet in little steps, trying to slow our speed down the mountain. Popsie was showing off, leaping from one boulder to another, without any effort. The decline eventually became more manageable, easing into a flatter, rocky lookout point. Behrad took this opportunity to jump from rock to rock, but scrambled at the last minute, before hitting the ground, and letting out a giant “AHHHHHHHHHHH!” Man down! Man down! On the ground, he was still and in shock. I saw the pain in his eyes as he reached for his ankle, panicking about how big it was getting, so quickly. I wasn’t sure what to do at this point. We didn’t have any first-aid supplies, and there were a few kilometers of walking to get to the car. At first, I tried supporting him as he stood up, but it hurt too much to put any weight on the ankle. What were we going to do?

After a few minutes of resting, an ex-firefighter and ex-paramedic came to our rescue. They just so happened to be hiking and spotted us in the distance. (Our troubled looks must have given it away). Rushing over to assess the ankle, they assured Behrad that it wasn’t broken, but severely sprained. They offered ice packs and a tension band for support, and even offered to help him down the rock-ridden path, but Behrad politely declined. Half walking, and half sliding down the steep dirt paths, we made it to the trail. What should have been a two-hour hike back to the car, turned into a then daunting five-hour trudge. After many ouches and pit-stops later, we did it, Behrad did it—what a champ!

Lessons from a bear attack

This vacation took an unexpected turn, not for the worst, but for something far better. For the rest of that trip, we cruised along the winding and smooth highways that border Lake Huron, taking mental pictures of the tree-lined roads, nothing in sight but rolling hills, flourishing fields, and clear lakes. We jammed out to class radio tunes, listened to too many podcasts, and visited towns we had never heard of. (Did you know Plummer Additional exists? And that it’s close to beautiful sandy beaches? Me neither.) We learned to make the best out of a crappy situation with good company, breathtaking views, a good attitude, and a full tank of gas. 

That following fall, we packed our bags for a weekend hiking trip in Huntsville, settling by a lakeside cottage in the evenings. The first thing that went into our backpacks? A first-aid kit and proper hiking boots. No way were we having a repeat of the summer. I can’t recall the name of the trail that we hiked on, but I do remember how beautiful the scenery was. Red, yellow, and orange leaves covered the trees, crisp autumn air filled our lungs, and the cool breeze made for the perfect temperature to combat the heat that radiated off of us from the hike. We couldn’t have asked for a better start, no injuries; just incredible lookout views and elevated heart rates from the hilly paths along the mountain tops. 

It was on our way back that things went awry. Following what we thought was part of the loop we found ourselves wandering aimlessly in circles. “I recognize that tree,” I thought, after confirming that I’d seen it for the third time. The blue cards posted on the trees that should have directed us seemed to be making the situation worse. After a while, we had to admit it to ourselves: we’re lost. I swear that at first, we tried to be positive, but the novelty wore off and the smiles drained from our faces when we realized we had no clue where to go next. Hungry, tired, annoyed, and impatient, we couldn’t help but wonder how we got into this situation. As the sun set, the temperatures lowered, sending shivers down our spines. Not just because of the chilly evening, but suddenly those lovely nighttime sounds you hear while safely inside a cabin became creepy and uncomfortably close. 

We all get lost sometimes. Here’s why

But, ah ha! We were lucky to have spotted a family in the distance. Little did we know fate plays cruel tricks because they too were lost. For the next hour, we dragged our feet through the pitch-black trails, trying any direction, but the right one. We kept finding our way back to a muddy dead-end trail, at the edge of a stream, bordering a dense wooded area that we could barely see ten feet into. We grew more distressed and panicked, and then, when all seemed hopeless, Behrad asked, “Does anyone have cell service? Can we call for help?” After a scrambled and lengthy call, the park rangers were on their way. 

Not too soon after, we saw the light. Well, we saw the flashlight of two experienced hikers. We were so relieved to be with someone who knew the way out, and as we followed behind them one-by-one, we realized our mistake: that muddy stream on the edge of a deep-dark-never-ending forest? Yeah, that was the path.

Forty-five minutes later we were huffing and exhausted, but finally safe in our cars. Here’s the thing, we thought we were well prepared with first-aid gear, but we failed to remember flashlights, a map, park office numbers, and a few extra snacks. Although we are still amateur hikers, you bet your bottom that we now hike with a backpack full of safety equipment to avoid getting lost and injured again. 

The first time is a fluke, and the second time is a coincidence, but the third time’s a pattern. Our string of unfortunate cottaging events took a turn for the worst in the Kawarthas in May 2022. Behrad, Popsie, and I decided to go on another weekend trip, starting with a hike on a Ganaraska Forest trail. The hike itself was glorious, with scenic views of towering lush green trees, along a curved path of rich soil. Each turn there was something different—like a skinny edge walk beside a small waterfall with one trickling and relaxed stream. We even brought our essential hiking backpack with all of our equipment and wore our hiking boots for optimal grip. Back at our car, we breathed a sigh of relief, no bumps or hiccups on this hike. As we put our bags in the car, the first drops of rain hit our noses, as gray skies crackled in the distance. A storm was on its way. Crash! Loud and booming thunder shook the skies, as lightning pierced through the clouds. The storm was approaching faster than we thought. Just minutes after driving down the road, it started raining cats and dogs (and lions and tigers). In one fell swoop, gusts of wind slapped our car, rocking it side to side, almost pushing us off the road. With a tight grip around the steering wheel, I was shaking, not even considering the lineup of cars that accumulated behind me as I crept along at ten kilometres an hour. I had no choice. I couldn’t see the hood of the car.

The rain eventually slowed and then lifted, but what we saw as we drove back to our home-away-from-home was shocking. Broken hydro poles, snapped-in-half trees, and flattened barn roofs lined country roads. We turned into the host’s driveway and saw the greenhouse destroyed, pieces of trampoline littered about like matchsticks, and the yard in total shambles. It was heartbreaking to see a moment’s storm turn into inevitable weeks of repair. That night we stayed in their bunkie (instead of the teepee that we were planning on sleeping in that night), afraid of another weather tantrum. The next day, Kawartha Lakes and the surrounding area were powerless and littered with debris. People were outside starting to clean up their yards, and emergency services were fixing broken hydro poles, and clearing larger fallen trees. We were thankful for our safety during our brief stay and compassionate for those that had to face weeks and months of the aftermath of the derecho that swept through Ontario that May long weekend.

5 portage-trips in Algonquin for the adventure-seeker

That weekend we learned a third very important lesson, to not only watch the weather carefully but to be aware of any storm alerts. Being prepared for different weather conditions shouldn’t just be a lesson they teach you in Scouts, but one that all hikers and outdoor enthusiasts should know. 

On reflection, aside from discovering just how stunning our province is, and how helpful the folks are who live here, what we learned throughout this string of unfortunate events is that mishaps don’t always have to be unfortunate. We laughed without control, pondered without boundaries, chatted without any intention, made the best out of our situation, and learned the importance of being prepared with equipment and up-to-date with weather forecasts. Each of the trips weren’t what we planned, but I look back at those memories with kind eyes, and a greater appreciation for a different type of cottaging and road tripping. You win some, you lose some, and in our case, with a little luck and the goodwill of strangers, we won more than we bargained for.

 

Categories
Cottage Life

Ganaraska Forest remains closed after fallout from May windstorm

Photo Courtesy of the Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority/Facebook

With tree branches trimmed, roofs repaired, and electrical lines once again humming, most Ontarians have put the May 21 windstorm in the rearview mirror. But the Ganaraska Forest, 50 kilometres southeast of Peterborough, Ont., is still dealing with the consequences.

Access to the forest’s 11,000 acres has been closed to the public since the May 21 storm. On July 14, the Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority (GRCA), the governing body in charge of maintaining and operating the forest, announced that it was extending the closure until September 30.

According to the GRCA, the May 21 storm was the worst natural disaster to hit the forest since its founding in 1947. High-speed winds took down 600 acres worth of trees, with many blocking main trail access points in the west and central sections of the forest. “Many of the downed tree situations include very dangerous spring poles [and] cracked and/or unusually compressed trees,” says Ed Van Osch, a forest recreation technician working with the GRCA, in a statement.

Downed Trees
Photo courtesy of the Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority/Facebook

Forest staff have been working since May to clear approximately 600 kilometres worth of trails, but high-wind events since the May 21 storm and limited staff have slowed the clean-up efforts. “The Conservation Lands department consists of five full time staff and four summer contract staff,” said Pam Lancaster, GRCA’s Conservation Lands coordinator, in a statement. Those nine staff members are responsible for clearing the Ganaraska Forest trails while also managing nine other conservation areas operated by the GRCA.

Staff from Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority, Rideau Valley Conservation Authority, and Northumberland County Forest have assisted with recovery efforts. For the time being, the GRCA isn’t accepting public volunteers to help with clean-up as dangerous and complicated tree removals pose a safety risk.

In mid-July, logging operations will start in the west and central sections of the forest. The GRCA is allowing an increased number of logging operations this year to assist with recovery as they salvage and harvest the fallen trees.

“Timely salvage of blown over Red Pine is integral to preventing further forest management issues from arising. Downed material not only increases fire risk in the forest, but it also acts as a breeding ground for bark boring beetles,” said Gus Saurer, a GRCA forester, in a statement.

Downed Trees
Photo courtesy of the Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority/Facebook

The east section of the forest was not hit as hard as the west or central sections, but it will also remain closed, the GRCA says, as there are concerns it doesn’t have the capacity or parking space to handle a surge in recreational use.

For those who purchased a forest membership (not including cross country ski memberships) between June 1, 2021 and May 21, 2022, the GRCA will extend the membership by 12 months from its original expiry date. For those who purchased a cross country ski membership that expired after the forest closed on May 21, you’ll receive a six-month hiking membership. In both cases, a notification should be sent to you by email.

Downed Trees
Photo courtesy of the Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority/Facebook

As clean-up efforts in the Ganaraska Forest continue, GRCA staff ask that the public respect the forest’s closure and do not enter. “The GRCA is committed to reopening recreational trails in the Ganaraska Forest to recreational use. Everyone’s continued cooperation, understanding, and patience is appreciated,” says ” Linda Laliberte, the GRCA’s CAO and secretary-treasurer, in a statement.

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Cottage Life

Timelines for repairing storm damage bleak as insurance and contractors grapple with surge in requests

Photo by Shutterstock/Paul McKinnon

The insurance industry is still calculating the cost of damage caused by the wind storm that ripped through Ontario on May 21, but adjusters are already saying it will be well over $30 million.

“Based on what we do know, it is a very significant event. This will be considered a catastrophe in insurance terms,” says Rob de Pruis, national director of consumer and industry relations with the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC). “An event that has $30 million or more in insured damages is formally tracked as a catastrophe.”

During the storm, tornadoes touched down in London and Uxbridge, winds snapped hydro poles and toppled transmission towers in Ottawa, and trees crashed through roofs in Peterborough. Insurers are working around the clock to process all of their customers’ claims, de Pruis says. But even with the extra effort, it could take weeks before an insurance adjuster is able to look at your claim.

“We’re dealing with not only homes, vehicles, and businesses, but also secondary residences like cottages, as well as aircraft and marine, and all these other areas that can be impacted,” de Pruis says.

Insurance companies have catastrophe response plans in place for major events, such as the May 21 storm. When the plans are implemented, the insurance companies sort their claims into a priority sequence. “People that have significant damage where they can’t live in their property would be put into a higher priority than someone who may have a vehicle that’s dented,” de Pruis says.

Other factors that can delay a claim’s processing is finding a contractor to do the necessary work. Kevin Stairs of Glenwood Construction out of Peterborough says he’s been swamped with calls, but due to project commitments booked before the storm, requests for work on major structural damage are being pushed into 2023. Some projects are being scheduled as far into the future as 2024, he says.

“If you go back even a few years, the Peterborough area had the 407 coming then the housing market started heating up, and then COVID, and catch up due to supply chain issues. So, most good contractors are booking months and months out,” he says.

When he can, Stairs is slotting in smaller projects that take a day or less, such as replacing a window that got broken during the storm. But the lack of availability of local contractors is forcing many people to hire contractors from out of town.

“I would advise anybody that calls us, if we can’t get to them right away, which in most cases we can’t, to do their research on the contractor they’re calling, especially if they’re from out of town,” Stairs says. “Don’t pay a deposit until you’re certain that the person is going to come back and actually perform the work.”

Before you have a contractor start working on your property, make sure you document the damage from the storm for your insurance claim. Once it’s safe to do so, de Pruis suggests taking pictures and videos of the damage and writing out a list of all the damaged and destroyed items.

If you have receipts for any of the damaged items, make sure to collect those for the insurance adjuster. Even if you’ve documented the damaged item with a picture, don’t dispose of it until after the insurance adjuster has had a chance to fully assess your claim. They may want to see the damaged item in person.

Will the storm damage cause my insurance premiums to rise?

Some good news on the insurance front is that the damage from the storm shouldn’t increase your premiums. “Typically, no one single event leads to an automatic increase in insurance premiums. The insurance companies are well prepared and very well capitalized for these events. This is what they do. This is what they’re here for,” de Pruis says.

“The principle of insurance is the premiums of the many are paying for the losses of the few. The more you can spread out that risk over larger areas, the more stable premiums become so that particular communities are not significantly impacted or have significant changes in premiums because of one event.”

Since most insurers are global companies, a storm in Ontario won’t affect premiums. What will affect premiums, de Pruis says, is a steady increase in the frequency and severity of weather events.

“Between 1983 and 2008, the insurance industry was paying out on average about $422 million in severe weather-related losses across the country. Over the past decade, that number has increased to over $2.1 billion on average, annually. That’s more than a four-fold increase in the overall costs of severe weather damage,” de Pruis says.

Most home and recreational property insurance plans will cover severe weather, such as wind damage. But to make sure you’re covered, de Pruis advises reviewing your policy.

“A lot of this conversation is about preparedness. To make sure that people do have some type of a plan. Even something as simple as knowing what phone number to call if you do have a claim,” de Pruis says. “Having that information readily available so you can start the process can be very helpful.”

Categories
Cottage Life

Experts weigh in on how damaging the May long weekend storm was

Photo Courtesy of Hydro One/Twitter

Around mid-day on May 21, dark clouds eclipsed Ontario skies, unleashing torrential rain and howling winds. In its wake, it left behind fallen trees, damaged homes, and widespread power outages. The culprit is what experts call a derecho storm.

Derecho, a Spanish word meaning straight ahead, is a long-lasting, fast-moving thunderstorm that can unleash winds as fast as a tornado. Unlike a tornado, a derecho’s winds don’t spiral. Instead, they blow in a straight path.

“When it becomes extreme, the wind speeds start to exceed 100 to 110 kilometres an hour, and they last for 600 kilometres or more,” explained Peter Kimbell, an Environment Canada meteorologist. Derechos are caused by the downdrafts from thunderstorms. This particular storm was caused by a heat dome over the eastern U.S.

Kitchener recorded the highest measured wind speeds at 132 kilometres per hour, but Kimbell says it’s likely winds reached even higher speeds in areas where there weren’t measuring devices.

After analysing data collected during the storm, the Northern Tornado Project (NTP), a research group based out of Western University, hypothesized that the worst-hit areas appeared to be Ottawa, Uxbridge, and London. Based on the group’s data, the NTP says it believes wind speeds reached 190 kilometres per hour in Ottawa, creating a five-kilometre-wide path of intense damage.

Both Uxbridge and London experienced tornadoes, according to the NTP. In Uxbridge, the tornado touched down around 1:15 p.m., travelling 4.26 kilometres and reaching a max wind speed of 195 kilometres per hour. The rooves of two apartment buildings were torn off.

In London, two tornadoes touched down. The first occurred at 11:36 a.m., travelling 5.6 kilometres through the northeast section of the city, reaching a max wind speed of 160 kilometres per hour, damaging an airport hangar door and flipping over a plane. The second tornado touched down in the south section of the city at 11:39 a.m., travelling 3.4 kilometres and reaching a max wind speed of 175 kilometres per hour.

And this is only what’s been recorded so far, Kimbell says. “Undoubtedly, there is damage elsewhere in cottage country that probably was equivalent, or maybe even greater, but we don’t know because we haven’t been there to find out.”

The storm left over 650,000 Ontario residents without power, according to Hydro One. In a statement released on Thursday, the company said that it “anticipates power will be restored to 99 per cent of customers affected by the storm by Friday evening. Due to the severity of damage, some customers in rural, remote, and island locations in the Perth and Bancroft areas will be without power for several more days. In the Tweed area, a small number of customers may be without power for several more weeks due to the extraordinary level of damage.”

The storm took down 1,900 hydro poles, broke 300 hydro pole cross arms, and damaged 200 transformers. Hydro One has 3,200 people working to repair the necessary infrastructure, including out-of-province and international contractors.

“When rebuilding after a storm, Hydro One prioritizes restoration to bring power back to the greatest number of customers in the shortest period of time. Crews need to repair and rebuild main power lines along with other key pieces of infrastructure before repairs can be made to power lines that serve a smaller numbers of customers,” the company said.

Right before the storm hit, Environment and Climate Change Canada broadcasted a severe thunderstorm warning to people’s cellphones across Ontario. According to ECCC, to warrant a wireless alert, there either needs to be a tornado warning or a thunderstorm exhibiting wind gusts of 130 kilometres per hour or greater, or baseball-sized hail (seven centimetres) or greater.

This was the first derecho to hit Ontario since 1999. While Kimbell says he can’t speak to whether climate change will increase the frequency of this type of event, he does point out that there has been no increase in thunderstorms, which cause derechos, across the country in the last 20 years. “We do get these nasty events every now and then. But we don’t see an increase of thunderstorm activity so far.”