2 tornadoes touched down last week in southwestern Ontario, researchers say

Two tornadoes touched down during powerful storms that hitsouthwestern Ontario last week, according to researchers at Western University.

Investigationsconducted by researchers with theschool'sNorthern Tornadoes Project (NTP) concludedthattornadoes touched down near South Buxtonin Chatham-Kent and Petrolia in Lambton County on Thursday,the researchers said in ablog poston Monday.

The NTP investigation into the EF1-rated tornado that hit South Buxton revealed that it reached maximum wind speeds of 175 km/h and had a track length of 10.5 kilometres, stretching from between North and South Buxton to Dealtown on the shores of Lake Erie.

Damage to roofs on homes, trees and crops was also visible. One of the homes in the tornado's path had significant structural damage, according to Aaron Jaffe, an engineering researcher with NTP.

"We spoke to the homeowners and, all things considered, they were in good spirits," he said. "They were just happy that their family wasn't hurt in the event so that's what matters most.

"Houses can be replaced; people can't."

The EF0-rated tornado that hit near Petrolia reached maximum wind speeds of 115 km/h and had a track length of 2.91 kilometres, according to the NTP. A barn roof was damaged with crops, trees and a pole holding a power line.

Jaffe says the pole holding the power line was repaired before the NTP arrived to begin their investigation.

In addition to the tornadoes, the researchers said four downburststook place on July 20.

Jaffe says a downburst is when a mass of air hits the ground at one spot and spreads out, causing damage in all directions, whereas a tornado hits the ground and continues to move, causing damage along a narrower path.

"A tornado will have a narrow path of relatively intense damage," he elaborated. "Whereas a downburst will have sometimes weaker damage, sometimes equal damage, over a wider area."

The downbursts were recorded inAlvinston, Wilkesport, Wardsvilleand Point Edward-Sarnia.

The NTP says no injuries were reported in any of the storms.