Cleanup underway following storm damage in Midland area

Major storm clean up ‘I was just heartbroken,’ residents take in the aftermath a day after a major storm system moved through Simcoe County.

Yesterday’s rare t-shirt weather did a complete 180 by the end of the day, with much the province getting hit with a rainstorm.

Joan Marshall is cleaning up after a record breaking storm tore through her neighbourhood in Tiny, as it made it’s way through the region.

Marshall said she looked at her husband after hearing a large bang.

“I said what on earth could have fallen, I thought something fell against the house,” said Marshall.

Heavy rain, strong winds and Lightning lit up the sky, and Marshall said the sound was her car getting crushed under a tree from across the road, belonging to the town.

David Phillips, Senior Climatologist with Environment Canada said last night’s storm was one of a kind, representing four seasons in one day. To top it off, hail isn’t a usual sight in October.

“We had snow in the north, hail, loads of lightning, scary clouds, rotating clouds, no touchdowns reported yet but certainly a lot of tornado warnings especially in this particular region of Ontario,” said Phillips.

A weather statement was issued yesterday for a tornado warning in Simcoe County, Muskoka and Grey Bruce. It was later lifted and there have been no reports of a touch down.

Tiny didn’t receive hail like it’s surrounding towns, but Marshall said she has never seen the sky light up “like that” before.

But, parts of the region including Orillia, Oro-Medonte, Penetanguishine and Midland were hit with reportedly “golf ball” sized hail.

Kathryn Fisher from Midland said the storm was pretty scary, and it left as quickly as it came. But, it didn’t take long for it to damage her gazebo, as pellets of hail ripped right through it.

Phillips said this week we can expect temperatures to be cooler than usual at this time of year, and there is a chance there could be some frost and flurries in the near future.