Environment Canada says it is investigating whether a tornado touched down in a southwestern Ontario community Saturday as part of a storm system bringing thunder and heavy rain to much of the province.
Meteorologist Trudy Kidd says radar images suggest a tornado began at 10:36 a.m., in Ayr, Ont., and a team from the Northern Tornadoes Project at Western University is on the ground gathering more details.
She says weather conditions across the province, which included heat, high humidity and a low-pressure system on Saturday, can set the stage for tornado activity.
Ayr’s Mayor Sue Foxton says the storm has passed but left behind a trail of downed trees and power lines and tore portions of walls and roofs off local buildings.
Meanwhile, Environment Canada has issued special weather statements for large swaths of the province and has tornado warnings and other advisories in place for several southern Ontario communities.
The agency says affected regions, which include Woodstock, Guelph, Orangeville and Newmarket, could see wind gusts of up to 90 km/h, up to 40 mm of rain and toonie sized hail.