One of the strongest tornadoes in Canada's history touched down in the Alberta province on Saturday. Storm Chaser Aaron Jayjack filmed the massive twister as it tore through a small town and left unprecedented damage behind.
Published Jul 5, 2023 1:21 PM EDT | Updated Jul 6, 2023 7:51 AM EDT
In a scene reminiscent of a disaster movie, Alberta residents were struck by a catastrophic tornado on Canada Day, wreaking havoc and causing widespread destruction. The powerful EF4 tornado, estimated to be among the strongest tornadoes ever recorded in the region, injured one person and left communities in shock as they grappled with the aftermath of the devastating storm.
The powerful tornado tore through the town of Didsbury, located roughly 42 miles north of Calgary, on Saturday, July 1, 2023. The twister reached EF4 intensity on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, with estimated peak winds of 170.9 mph (275 km/h), Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) confirmed.
One person suffered minor injuries after she took shelter in the basement, Global News Canada reported.
Aaron Jayjack captured a massive tornado as it barrelled across Didsbury, Alberta, Canada, on Saturday, June 1, 2023. (AccuWeather/Aaron Jayjack)
Eyewitnesses described the tornado as an incredible force of nature, with some even comparing it to a meteor crash.
"Something that almost looks apocalyptic, right? It looks almost like a meteor crash through the area," Connell Miller with the Northern Tornadoes Project told CTV News Calgary.
According to a damage report from the ECCC, the twister caused damage to 12 homes, completely destroying three and leaving four uninhabitable. It also overturned a combine, which typically weighs about 22,046 pounds (10,000 kilograms).
Footage captured by Storm Chaser Aaron Jayjack showed the terrifying vortex of wind and debris as it wreaked havoc on the community of Didsbury.
Aaron Jayjack captured a massive tornado as it barrelled across Didsbury, Alberta, Canada, on Saturday, June 1, 2023. (AccuWeather/Aaron Jayjack)
"Oh my God, there is so much debris down; not good," Jayjack could be heard saying as he filmed the massive twister.
Jayjack told AccuWeather that he was full of dread when he arrived at the scene after the tornado passed. He worried about what he might find after he just watched this destructive force of nature tear through the town.
“My gut sunk as I came up on the homes. I instantly could see that it was very bad damage,” said Jayjack. “Only the most violent tornadoes produce a roar like I had heard.”
After searching for residents, Jayjack was shocked, and thankful, to learn that no one was killed during the twister.
“It was the most photogenic and powerful tornado combo I have ever chased,” said Jayjack. “It was a truly remarkable storm.”
The tornado's aftermath could be seen in drone photos shared on social media. Homes were wiped away and a scar could be seen on the land from where the tornado barrelled through.
"It's total destruction. I don't think there's another way to describe it. Everything is gone," Alberta resident Jared Wesley told CTV News Calgary.
How does Saturday's twister stack up?
Saturday’s EF4 tornado was the strongest to touch down in Alberta since 1987 and ranks among the top twisters for the entire country. The only F5 tornado ever observed in Canada occurred on June 22, 2007, in Elie, Manitoba.
"Since we've started tracking tornadoes in the 1900s, only 21 have been rated this severe [EF4 or stronger]," Miller told CBC News. "Canada gets around 100-120 tornadoes per year. That's an incredibly small number of tornadoes being rated this severe."
More than 30 years ago, on July 31, 1987, a powerful F4 tornado ripped through eastern Edmonton, killing 27 people and leaving more than 300 injured. The Weather Network says that the tornado, which is remembered as the "Black Friday" event, was on the ground for more than an hour. The twister caused more than $332 million in damage, destroying more than 300 homes.
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More recently, in 2000, two F3 tornadoes touched down in July. On July 14, a tornado touched down in Pine Lake, which is located about 77 miles north of Calgary. It struck a trailer park, killing 12 people and injuring more than 100, according to The Weather Network.
Nine days later, another F3 tornado struck Marwayne, Alberta, which is located 131 east of Edmonton. According to CBC, no one was injured.
In 2013, ECCC switched from the Fujita scale to the Enhanced Fujita Scale.
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