Downburst caused Beausejour destruction, not tornado: research group

Manitoba community hit by downburst A research group has determined that a downburst touched down in Beausejour last week, not a tornado.

A downburst was the cause of destruction during a storm in Beausejour last week – not a tornado.

According to the Northern Tornadoes Project, a downburst touched down in Beausejour on Wednesday, with a maximum wind speed of 155 km/h and an EF1 rating on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. Downbursts are described as powerful winds descending from a thunderstorm, which spread out once they hit the ground.

The Northern Tornadoes Project conducted a ground and drone survey the day after the storm, documenting the damage from Beausejour eastward to Saint Ouens.

Wednesday’s storm left the Manitoba community with damage to homes, buildings, sheds, and poles. No injuries were reported.

The Northern Tornadoes Project did confirm that there was a tornado near Manitoba’s Ranger Lakes on Wednesday.

The research group conducted a ground and drone survey of the area on Friday, but due to limited road access, it did not find damage associated with the tornado during the survey. Some visible tornado damage was revealed during a review of the satellite imagery; however, the imagery was obscured by clouds.

The final EF-scale rating and maximum wind speed of the tornado will be finalized pending the availability of cloud-free satellite imagery.