Tornadoes caused damage during Kingston

Tornadoes caused damage during Kingston-area storm, researchers say

Pair of twisters caused damage to farms, trees — but no injuries

Tornado researchers have confirmed that a pair of weak tornadoes caused damage during thunderstorms in the Kingston, Ont., area last week.

Both twisters emerged early on the afternoon of June 30, researchers with the Northern Tornadoes Project (NTP) said in an online post Sunday afternoon.

The first tornado carved a roughly 18-kilometre path and caused damage to farms and trees near the communities of Verona, Harrowsmith and Hartington, NTP experts said.

It had an estimated maximum wind speed of 150 km/h and was classified as an EF-1, the second-lowest severity rating on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.

The second tornado caused tree damage along a 10.9-kilometre path from Kingston's Silvers Corners area to Canadian Forces Base Kingston, the NTP said.

It was classified as an EF-0 tornado, with an estimated top wind speed of 115 km/h.

Neither tornado caused any injuries, the NTP said.

Environment Canada issued a red-level tornado warning for the Kingston area last Tuesday, the most urgent warning on its colour-coded weather alert scale.

The thunderstorm also caused flooding in Kingston and toppled trees, mostly in the city's northern and eastern ends. The city also briefly suspended transit operations.