2007 Elie tornado
During the evening of June 22, 2007, a powerful F5 tornado struck the town of Elie, in the Canadian province of Manitoba (40 km (25 mi) west of Winnipeg). It was part of a small two-day tornado outbreak that occurred in the area and reached a maximum width of 150 yards (140 m). The tornado was unusual because it caused the extreme damage during its roping out stage at a mere 35 yards (32 m) in width and moved extremely slowly and unpredictably. The tornado tracked primarily southeast, as opposed to the usual northeast, and made multiple loops and sharp turns. Because Environment Canada adopted the Enhanced Fujita scale in 2013, there will be no more tornadoes with an F5 rating, making this tornado the first and last confirmed F5 tornado in Canada.
The tornado approaching the town of Elie, Manitoba around 6:50 p.m. CDT. | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Duration | 35 minutes |
| Formed | June 22, 2007 6:25 p.m. CDT (23:25 UTC) |
| Dissipated | June 22, 2007 7:00 p.m. CDT (00:00 UTC) |
| F5 tornado | |
| on the Fujita scale | |
| Highest winds | 420 to 510 km/h (260 to 320 mph) |
| Overall effects | |
| Casualties | None |
| Damage | $39 million ($49.5 million in 2021 dollars) |
| Areas affected | Elie, Manitoba, Canada |
Part of the tornado outbreaks of 2007 | |
While several houses were leveled, no one was injured or killed by the tornado. A home in the town was swept clean off of its foundation, justifying the F5 classification. One of the strongest twisters on record since 1999, it is one of only ten to be rated F5/EF5 since 1999 in North America. The tornado caused damage of an estimated $39 million.