Researchers with the Northern Tornadoes Project at Western University in Ontario have released more details on what it calls a series of downbursts during a severe storm in June that caused widespread damage across the North Peace.
The storm on June 30 stretched from 100 Mile House on north, destroying homes and businesses and leaving thousands without power for days.
According to the Northern Tornadoes Project, winds reached maximum speeds of 190 kilometres per hour in Red Creek, Stoddart Creek, and Blueberry River. Winds reached 170 km/h in Lower Cache, and 145 km/h in Altona and Moberly Lake.
Across the region, the storm demolished house trailers, tore off the roofs of others, and lifted and moved a new house that had been under construction. The storm flattened stands of trees, whole grain silos were overturned, and damage was estimated in the millions.
Environment Canada said there were about 16,000 lightning strikes in the Peace district that night, and many residents described the storm and its impacts as a tornado.
“A powerful 'bow echo' storm moved through northeast BC on 30 Jun 2021, resulting in large areas of downburst damage,” the Northern Tornadoes Project reported. “Embedded microbursts reached wind speeds up to 190 km/h, causing up to EF2 damage.”
The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale is a six-point system used by weather researchers to rate wind speeds and damage, with a rating of 5 being the highest.
"Most showers and thunderstorms produce downdrafts that descend toward the surface then move outward. In certain atmospheric environments, such as those that lead to severe thunderstorms, these downdrafts may be strong enough to cause damage at the surface, or interfere with the ascent/descent of aircraft, and are known as downbursts," according to the Northern Tornadoes Project.
"While the rotating winds of a tornado converge at the surface then rise up into the storm, often resulting in narrow paths of chaotic damage, downburst winds descend and diverge beneath the storm and result in outward burst patterns of damage or wide areas with damage mostly from the same direction."
The Northern Tornadoes Project has released the following details about the localized storm impacts:
Blueberry River First Nations
Time: 10:05 PM MST
Final Classification: Downburst
Final EF-Scale Rating: EF2
Structural and tree damage was reported at Blueberry River First Nations southeast of Buick following a storm passing through the area. Satellite imagery review revealed widespread tree damage in the region. High-resolution aerial imagery was collected on July 27, 2021. Imagery analysis confirmed a significant downburst event with evidence of embedded intense microbursts visible. Damage assessed at EF2 with an estimated max. wind speed of 190 km/h.
Red Creek Road
Time: 9:50 PM MST
Final Classification: Downburst
Final EF-Scale Rating: EF2
Tree damage was reported along Red Creek Road and the Alaska Highway southwest of Montney following a storm passing through the area. Satellite imagery review revealed widespread tree damage in the region. High-resolution aerial imagery of the Red Creek Road area was collected on July 27, 2021. Imagery analysis confirmed a significant downburst event with evidence of embedded intense microbursts visible. Damage assessed at EF2 with an estimated max. wind speed of 190 km/h.
Stoddart Creek
Time: 9:55 PM MST
Final Classification: Downburst
Final EF-Scale Rating: EF2
Tree damage reported near Montney prompted satellite imagery review over the greater area. Widespread tree damage was observed in the region. High-resolution aerial imagery of the Stoddart Creek area was collected on July 27, 2021. Imagery analysis confirmed a significant downburst event with evidence of embedded intense microbursts visible. Damage assessed at EF2 with an estimated max. wind speed of 190 km/h.
Lower Cache Road
Time: 10:00 PM MST
Final Classification: Downburst
Final EF-Scale Rating: EF1
Tree damage reported near Montney prompted satellite imagery review over the greater area. Widespread tree damage was observed in the region. High-resolution aerial imagery of the Lower Cache Road area was collected on July 27, 2021. Imagery analysis confirmed a downburst event with evidence of embedded microbursts visible. Damage assessed at EF1 with an estimated max. wind speed of 170 km/h.
Altona
Time: 10:15 PM MST
Final Classification: Downburst
Final EF-Scale Rating: EF1
Structural and tree damage was reported following a storm passing through the Altona area. Satellite imagery review revealed visible tree damage over a large area (including Altona, Prespatou and along the Beaton River). Damage assessed as EF1 downburst, with an estimated max. wind speed of 145 km/h.
Moberly Lake
Time: 8:45 PM MST
Final Classification: Downburst
Final EF-Scale Rating: EF1
Tree damage was reported at Moberly Lake following a storm passing through. Satellite imagery review revealed visible tree damage in the area, and further east toward Bond and north along the Pine River. Damage assessed as EF1 downburst, with an estimated max. wind speed of 145 km/h.
After the storm, BC Hydro said more than 330 spans of wire, 60 cross arms, 30 power poles, and 15 transformers had been replaced due to the damage.
Several homes in Fort St. John were damaged during similar storm conditions in August 2020, and which Environment Canada confirmed at that time was caused by a weak tornado between 0 to 1 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.
Email Managing Editor Matt Preprost at editor@ahnfsj.ca
