Two EF1 tornadoes touched down in Manitoba over the long weekend, including the storm that hit River Heights. Homeowner Bruce Waterman came home early Monday morning to what he describes as a war zone. “It was dark and I had to navigate myself through fallen trees and downed hydro wires,” said Waterman. His fence is severely damaged, the shed is a mess, and his home was without power for days. Now there is confirmation the storm that left this trail of destruction was indeed a tornado. “I’m just surprised there’s not more damage or nobody injured,” said Waterman. The Northern Tornadoes Project (NTP), which surveys severe storms, confirms an EF1 tornado hit the neighbourhood with a maximum speed of 155 km/h and a maximum width of 150 metres. NTP research meteorologist Dylan Painchaud-Niemi says from the Mathers Avenue and Lindsay Street intersection, the tornado travelled northeast for two kilometres, snapping trees and hydro poles while damaging roofs. “We did have a porta-potty that was also flung, and one car that was rolled through someone’s lawn, so there was quite a few different damage indicators here,” said Painchaud-Niemi. READ MORE: ‘Storm hurls car onto lawn, thousands in Winnipeg without power’ He says there was also another EF1 tornado in Benard, Man., west of Elie. It caused damage to a warehouse roof while blowing off the building’s doors. He says one minor injury was reported. Painchaud-Niemi says Manitoba has experienced 15 tornadoes this year, the most since 2006, and close to the record of 18 set in 1991-92. He says across Canada, 2025 had the most ever at 132. This year he says there’s been 121, and the extreme weather season may not be over yet. “With the climate changing and warming up, the severe weather season will get longer,” said Painchaud-Niemi. He says based on trends, storms like these could be the new norm. “Extreme weather is becoming more and more prevalent, so it’s something everyone has to be aware of and prepared for,” said Painchaud-Niemi. Now when people hear thunder and see lightning, they might get more nervous these days.
