Edmonton tornado facts for kids
A photograph of the tornado by Steve Simon
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| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Duration | 1 hour, 5 minutes |
| Formed | July 31, 1987, 2:55 p.m. (MDT) |
| Dissipated | July 31, 1987, 4:00 p.m. (MDT) |
| F4 tornado | |
| on the Fujita scale | |
| Highest winds | 260 mph (420 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 919.3 hPa (mbar); 27.15 inHg |
| Maximum rainfall | 300 millimetres (12 in) |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 27 |
| Injuries | ~300 |
| Damage | $332.27 million ($687 million in 2021 dollars ) |
| Areas affected | City of Edmonton, Strathcona County, Central Alberta |
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Part of the tornadoes of 1987 |
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The Edmonton tornado, sometimes called Black Friday by people in Edmonton, was a very strong and destructive tornado. It swept through the eastern parts of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and nearby Strathcona County on the afternoon of Friday, July 31, 1987. This tornado was one of eight tornadoes that hit central Alberta on that day.
This powerful tornado reached an F4 rating on the Fujita scale, which means it had incredibly strong winds. It stayed on the ground for about an hour. During this time, it created a path of damage about 30.8 km (19.1 mi) long and up to 1.3 km (0.81 mi) wide in some areas. The tornado tragically affected many people, leading to the loss of 27 lives and injuring over 300 others. It also destroyed more than 300 homes. The total damage to property was over C$332.27 million, which is a huge amount of money.
This event became the worst natural disaster in Alberta's recent history. It was also the second deadliest tornado ever recorded in Canada, after the Regina Cyclone. Forecasters from Environment Canada had warned about the high chance of severe thunderstorms that afternoon. They quickly responded when the first report of a tornado came in from Leduc County, just south of Edmonton.
How the Storm Formed
In the week before July 31, 1987, warm and humid air moved into central Alberta from a low-pressure system in southwestern British Columbia. This warm, moist air, combined with high temperatures during the day, caused many strong thunderstorms to form throughout the week.
On July 31, a cold front developed in western Alberta. This cold front crashed into the warm, moist air already in the region. Weather forecasters quickly saw that there was a high chance of very bad weather that day. Radio broadcasts and news reports warned people about "vicious thunderstorms" and "extremely strong and violent thunderstorms."
The Tornado's Journey
The storm first passed east of Leduc. A weather spotter reported the first tornado touching down at 2:59 p.m. This tornado was on the ground for a short time before it disappeared. Just after 3:00 p.m., the tornado touched down again near Beaumont. It grew larger and stronger, throwing around farm buildings and equipment.
At 3:04 p.m., a tornado warning was sent out for the city of Edmonton. The tornado entered the southeast part of the city. It was a multiple-vortex tornado, meaning it had several smaller swirling columns of air. It moved north through the eastern parts of Mill Woods, causing significant damage, rated F2 to F3.
The tornado kept moving north, crossing the Sherwood Park Freeway. It then hit the Refinery Row area with F4 intensity. Here, the tornado threw large oil tanks and flattened many industrial buildings. It also picked up and scattered several trailers. The ground was scraped clean of grass, and debris was piled up. The damage in this area was so severe that it might have been close to an F5 rating, but it was never officially called that.
The tornado became a little weaker as it moved over an open area between Baseline Road and the North Saskatchewan River. However, it still had F2 to F3 strength. It continued to tear through eastern parts of Clareview around 4:00 p.m. It caused serious damage to homes in the Kernohan, Bannerman, and Fraser neighborhoods before finally disappearing.
| FU | F0 | F1 | F2 | F3 | F4 | F5 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 |
Other Tornadoes That Day
Besides the main F4 tornado, seven other tornadoes were reported on July 31, 1987.
- An F2 tornado touched down near Beaumont, south of Edmonton. It moved through the countryside east of the city.
- About 22 minutes after the first tornado, an F1 tornado hit Southeast Edmonton. This area was mostly farmland at the time. It traveled about 7.26 km (4.51 mi).
- Three F0 tornadoes also occurred in the wider Edmonton Area. These were to the north, northwest, and southwest, but they were too far away to be seen from the city itself.
- Further away from Edmonton, an F2 tornado touched down in farmland between Millet and Vegreville. This tornado stayed on the ground for about 52 km (32 mi) and caused $40,000 in damage.
See also
- List of tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
- List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
- List of Canadian tornadoes
- Tornado myths
