Environment Canada believes a downburst may be the culprit of the high winds and damage sustained during Tuesday afternoon’s storm.
Meteorologist Geoff Coulson says Windsor Airport recorded 91 km/h wind gusts at around 4 p.m. Tuesday. Based on this information and photos of damage, Coulson believes a downburst may have descended on Windsor-Essex.
A downburst is a strong ground-level wind system that originates from a single source – often accompanying a thunderstorm.
Meanwhile, residents and city crews are continuing to cleanup. Several trees were damaged, some even splitting in half. Lightning is responsible for at least two fires, one in Tecumseh, the other in LaSalle. In the latter case, the ceiling has collapsed in several rooms including a child’s bedroom.
No injuries are reported.
Across the city, utility crews are working to restore power to traffic lights, which hampered Wednesday’s morning commute.
Rain is expected to continue through Wednesday, with things getting sunny for the rest of the week.
