A concentrated and fierce thunderstorm that hit the Windsor area Monday afternoon left a wide trail of destruction in its wake, with trees and power lines downed and emergency crews scrambling to keep up with a flood of calls for assistance from the public.
“Today’s storm has caused tree damage in many areas throughout the City,” Mayor Drew Dilkens tweeted shortly after the storm hit mid-afternoon. Environment Canada had issued a severe thunderstorm watch for the area earlier in the day.
“Please report damage to the Windsor Police non-emergency number at 519-258-6111,” Dilkens tweeted at about 4:20 p.m. “Our forestry crews have been called in and are responding now.”
Trees and branches were reported fallen on streets, houses, vehicles and power lines, causing power outages. Police, fire and utility workers were all in the streets as part of the emergency response.
Dale Bellaire checks out the damage to his 2013 Equinox on Arthur Road on Monday after a storm system ripped through the city. He had just purchased the vehicle three weeks ago.
Essex Powerlines reported “severe wind damage and many fallen trees” across LaSalle. “Essex Power and Enwin crews are on site responding to damage,” including restoring power, the utility company tweeted.
Enwin said that its crews “are working to restore power to all areas impacted … as soon as it is safe to do so. Our top priority is always safety for our customers and our workers.” The city utility advised customers to report emergencies such as downed wires by calling 519-255-2727.
The thunderstorms that hit in the afternoon were forecast by Environment Canada to produce significant rainfall amounts and wind gusts up to 90 km/h and affect the region into the evening and overnight as well. Hail was also a possibility.
The watch recommended taking cover immediately if threatening weather approached.
Areas impacted by the watch are Windsor, Leamington, Essex County, Chatham-Kent and Rondeau Park.
Filipe Menezes and his mother-in-law Joan McLean check out the damage to his Windsor property at Ontario Street and Dawson Road after a huge tree snapped during Monday’s storm.
A resident on George Avenue speaks to a Windsor firefighter after the storm caused a large tree to puncture his roof on Monday.
Aptly named, members of the Tecumseh Thunder baseball team are shown at the Cullen Stadium field at Mic Mac Park on Monday as threatening storm clouds began rolling in just ahead of the area being walloped by powerful winds and a torrential downpour.
A man checks out a large damaged tree at Ontario Street and Dawson Road on Monday.
Windsor firefighters check out the damage to a home and hydro wires on Totten Street in Windsor after an afternoon storm ripped through the city on Monday.