PHOTOS: Quebec cleans up after storms bring tornado, torrential rain
A prolific line of severe thunderstorms swept from Ontario into southern Quebec through the day on Thursday, prompting widespread tornado warnings and leaving behind damage, power outages, and flash flooding in its wake.
The storms formed as a low-pressure system pushed a cold front into a muggy airmass parked over the region.
A sharp change in winds aloft allowed thunderstorms to develop rotation as they hit eastern Ontario and southern Quebec, producing at least one confirmed tornado in Mirabel. Crews with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and the Northern Tornadoes Project (NTP) will investigate further tornado damage that resulted from Thursday’s storms.
Downed trees in Sorel-Tracy in southwestern Quebec. July 13, 2023 (Joey Olivier/MeteoMedia)
The thunderstorms easily shoved vigorous winds down to the surface, resulting in widespread straight-line wind damage across the region. Montreal-Trudeau International Airport measured a 98 km/h wind gust as the edge of the storms pushed overhead.
Nearly 500,000 customers in southern Quebec lost power as the storms entered the region, but many of the outages were the result of transmission lines shutting down to protect infrastructure from forest fires up north. Even with those shutdowns, the storms likely caused hundreds of thousands of power outages throughout Montreal and parts of the Eastern Townships.
Heavy rainfall also led to localized flooding throughout southern Quebec, mainly focused on Metro Montreal. The storms dropped 50-75+ mm of rain in a hurry, overwhelming storm sewers in a hurry and forcing runoff to pool on streets instead. Quebec City received close to 60 mm of rain in only three hours.
Residents throughout the region documented the severe thunderstorms as they swept across the region. Check out some of the impressive visuals from Thursday’s storms, below.
Victoria Underpass #tornade #tornadowatch #montreal pic.twitter.com/JfzRGeaFO4
Victoria Underpass Rabbi Yisroel Bernath on Twitter: "Victoria Underpass #tornade #tornadowatch #montreal pic.twitter.com/JfzRGeaFO4 / Twitter" Rabbi Yisroel Bernath on Twitter: "Victoria Underpass #tornade #tornadowatch #montreal pic.twitter.com/JfzRGeaFO4 / Twitter" Rabbi Yisroel Bernath on Twitter: "Victoria Underpass #tornade #tornadowatch #montreal pic.twitter.com/JfzRGeaFO4 / Twitter" Rabbi Yisroel Bernath on Twitter: "Victoria Underpass #tornade #tornadowatch #montreal pic.twitter.com/JfzRGeaFO4 / Twitter"
— Rabbi Yisroel Bernath (@montrealrabbi) Rabbi Yisroel Bernath on Twitter: "Victoria Underpass #tornade #tornadowatch #montreal pic.twitter.com/JfzRGeaFO4 / Twitter"
🌧️🌧️🌬️🌪️🌀#meteoqc #tornadowatch #Montréal #TORNADOWARNING #onstorm #tornades #orages pic.twitter.com/JHesvCD9XC
🌧️🌧️🌬️🌪️🌀Queen Lea ✨ on Twitter: "🌧️🌧️🌬️🌪️🌀#meteoqc #tornadowatch #Montréal #TORNADOWARNING #onstorm #tornades #orages pic.twitter.com/JHesvCD9XC / Twitter" Queen Lea ✨ on Twitter: "🌧️🌧️🌬️🌪️🌀#meteoqc #tornadowatch #Montréal #TORNADOWARNING #onstorm #tornades #orages pic.twitter.com/JHesvCD9XC / Twitter" Queen Lea ✨ on Twitter: "🌧️🌧️🌬️🌪️🌀#meteoqc #tornadowatch #Montréal #TORNADOWARNING #onstorm #tornades #orages pic.twitter.com/JHesvCD9XC / Twitter" Queen Lea ✨ on Twitter: "🌧️🌧️🌬️🌪️🌀#meteoqc #tornadowatch #Montréal #TORNADOWARNING #onstorm #tornades #orages pic.twitter.com/JHesvCD9XC / Twitter" Queen Lea ✨ on Twitter: "🌧️🌧️🌬️🌪️🌀#meteoqc #tornadowatch #Montréal #TORNADOWARNING #onstorm #tornades #orages pic.twitter.com/JHesvCD9XC / Twitter" Queen Lea ✨ on Twitter: "🌧️🌧️🌬️🌪️🌀#meteoqc #tornadowatch #Montréal #TORNADOWARNING #onstorm #tornades #orages pic.twitter.com/JHesvCD9XC / Twitter" Queen Lea ✨ on Twitter: "🌧️🌧️🌬️🌪️🌀#meteoqc #tornadowatch #Montréal #TORNADOWARNING #onstorm #tornades #orages pic.twitter.com/JHesvCD9XC / Twitter" Queen Lea ✨ on Twitter: "🌧️🌧️🌬️🌪️🌀#meteoqc #tornadowatch #Montréal #TORNADOWARNING #onstorm #tornades #orages pic.twitter.com/JHesvCD9XC / Twitter"
— Queen Lea ✨ (@leanpleblanc) Queen Lea ✨ on Twitter: "🌧️🌧️🌬️🌪️🌀#meteoqc #tornadowatch #Montréal #TORNADOWARNING #onstorm #tornades #orages pic.twitter.com/JHesvCD9XC / Twitter"
H/T to my friend Mike near the Bay on Ste-Catherine & Union looking Nas a bow echo-type storm pushes thru #Montréal - he says: "Wow it's epic! So much lightning. It's kind of cool. Spooky."#QCstorm #meteoQC pic.twitter.com/bR2LppWiaa
H/T to my friend Mike near the Bay on Ste-Catherine & Union looking N
as a bow echo-type storm pushes thru Ryan Voutilainen 🇨🇦🇫🇮 on Twitter: "H/T to my friend Mike near the Bay on Ste-Catherine & Union looking Nas a bow echo-type storm pushes thru #Montréal - he says: "Wow it's epic! So much lightning. It's kind of cool. Spooky."#QCstorm #meteoQC pic.twitter.com/bR2LppWiaa / Twitter" — he says: “Wow it’s epic! So much lightning. It’s kind of cool. Spooky.”Ryan Voutilainen 🇨🇦🇫🇮 on Twitter: "H/T to my friend Mike near the Bay on Ste-Catherine & Union looking Nas a bow echo-type storm pushes thru #Montréal - he says: "Wow it's epic! So much lightning. It's kind of cool. Spooky."#QCstorm #meteoQC pic.twitter.com/bR2LppWiaa / Twitter" Ryan Voutilainen 🇨🇦🇫🇮 on Twitter: "H/T to my friend Mike near the Bay on Ste-Catherine & Union looking Nas a bow echo-type storm pushes thru #Montréal - he says: "Wow it's epic! So much lightning. It's kind of cool. Spooky."#QCstorm #meteoQC pic.twitter.com/bR2LppWiaa / Twitter" Ryan Voutilainen 🇨🇦🇫🇮 on Twitter: "H/T to my friend Mike near the Bay on Ste-Catherine & Union looking Nas a bow echo-type storm pushes thru #Montréal - he says: "Wow it's epic! So much lightning. It's kind of cool. Spooky."#QCstorm #meteoQC pic.twitter.com/bR2LppWiaa / Twitter"— Ryan Voutilainen 🇨🇦🇫🇮 (@RyanVoutilainen) Ryan Voutilainen 🇨🇦🇫🇮 on Twitter: "H/T to my friend Mike near the Bay on Ste-Catherine & Union looking Nas a bow echo-type storm pushes thru #Montréal - he says: "Wow it's epic! So much lightning. It's kind of cool. Spooky."#QCstorm #meteoQC pic.twitter.com/bR2LppWiaa / Twitter"
Montréal moments before the severe storm hit the city! #QCstorm @weathernetwork pic.twitter.com/vhM813qGJi
Montréal moments before the severe storm hit the city! Karim Halwaji on Twitter: "Montréal moments before the severe storm hit the city! #QCstorm @weathernetwork pic.twitter.com/vhM813qGJi / Twitter" Karim Halwaji on Twitter: "Montréal moments before the severe storm hit the city! #QCstorm @weathernetwork pic.twitter.com/vhM813qGJi / Twitter" Karim Halwaji on Twitter: "Montréal moments before the severe storm hit the city! #QCstorm @weathernetwork pic.twitter.com/vhM813qGJi / Twitter"
— Karim Halwaji (@karimhalwaji) Karim Halwaji on Twitter: "Montréal moments before the severe storm hit the city! #QCstorm @weathernetwork pic.twitter.com/vhM813qGJi / Twitter"
WATCH: Immense storm cloud with rotation rolls into Montreal suburbs
Here's the better version pic.twitter.com/arp7BunPo4
Here’s the better version Baxter Merry on Twitter: "Here's the better version pic.twitter.com/arp7BunPo4 / Twitter"
— Baxter Merry (@baxtermerry) Baxter Merry on Twitter: "Here's the better version pic.twitter.com/arp7BunPo4 / Twitter"
@LGrahamCTV @weathernetwork @GlobalNational #QCstorm pic.twitter.com/wBaBeNGeRA
L33 on Twitter: "@LGrahamCTV @weathernetwork @GlobalNational #QCstorm pic.twitter.com/wBaBeNGeRA / Twitter" L33 on Twitter: "@LGrahamCTV @weathernetwork @GlobalNational #QCstorm pic.twitter.com/wBaBeNGeRA / Twitter" L33 on Twitter: "@LGrahamCTV @weathernetwork @GlobalNational #QCstorm pic.twitter.com/wBaBeNGeRA / Twitter" L33 on Twitter: "@LGrahamCTV @weathernetwork @GlobalNational #QCstorm pic.twitter.com/wBaBeNGeRA / Twitter" L33 on Twitter: "@LGrahamCTV @weathernetwork @GlobalNational #QCstorm pic.twitter.com/wBaBeNGeRA / Twitter"
— L33 (@L33MTL) L33 on Twitter: "@LGrahamCTV @weathernetwork @GlobalNational #QCstorm pic.twitter.com/wBaBeNGeRA / Twitter"
Dans le métro de Montréal, l'eau qui s'écoule du plafond fait des bruits de grosses rivières. A défaut de pouvoir contourner la flaque, certains commutants retirent leurs souliers.#alertealatornade pic.twitter.com/XUvJU7tCtP
Dans le métro de Montréal, l’eau qui s’écoule du plafond fait des bruits de grosses rivières. A défaut de pouvoir contourner la flaque, certains commutants retirent leurs souliers.Rafael Miró on Twitter: "Dans le métro de Montréal, l'eau qui s'écoule du plafond fait des bruits de grosses rivières. A défaut de pouvoir contourner la flaque, certains commutants retirent leurs souliers.#alertealatornade pic.twitter.com/XUvJU7tCtP / Twitter" Rafael Miró on Twitter: "Dans le métro de Montréal, l'eau qui s'écoule du plafond fait des bruits de grosses rivières. A défaut de pouvoir contourner la flaque, certains commutants retirent leurs souliers.#alertealatornade pic.twitter.com/XUvJU7tCtP / Twitter"
15 minutes ago... #Montreal 😳 pic.twitter.com/F9whTZOKio
15 minutes ago… homan on Twitter: "15 minutes ago... #Montreal 😳 pic.twitter.com/F9whTZOKio / Twitter" 😳 homan on Twitter: "15 minutes ago... #Montreal 😳 pic.twitter.com/F9whTZOKio / Twitter"
— homan (@blusebird) homan on Twitter: "15 minutes ago... #Montreal 😳 pic.twitter.com/F9whTZOKio / Twitter"
No, this is not a timelapse - just a very angry Mother Nature coming through #montreal #montrealstorm #mtl #montrealtornado pic.twitter.com/ExiJ6kTfo1
No, this is not a timelapse - just a very angry Mother Nature coming through Léo Han on Twitter: "No, this is not a timelapse - just a very angry Mother Nature coming through #montreal #montrealstorm #mtl #montrealtornado pic.twitter.com/ExiJ6kTfo1 / Twitter" Léo Han on Twitter: "No, this is not a timelapse - just a very angry Mother Nature coming through #montreal #montrealstorm #mtl #montrealtornado pic.twitter.com/ExiJ6kTfo1 / Twitter" Léo Han on Twitter: "No, this is not a timelapse - just a very angry Mother Nature coming through #montreal #montrealstorm #mtl #montrealtornado pic.twitter.com/ExiJ6kTfo1 / Twitter" Léo Han on Twitter: "No, this is not a timelapse - just a very angry Mother Nature coming through #montreal #montrealstorm #mtl #montrealtornado pic.twitter.com/ExiJ6kTfo1 / Twitter" Léo Han on Twitter: "No, this is not a timelapse - just a very angry Mother Nature coming through #montreal #montrealstorm #mtl #montrealtornado pic.twitter.com/ExiJ6kTfo1 / Twitter"
— Léo Han (@IslanderLeo) Léo Han on Twitter: "No, this is not a timelapse - just a very angry Mother Nature coming through #montreal #montrealstorm #mtl #montrealtornado pic.twitter.com/ExiJ6kTfo1 / Twitter"
The storm as it was approaching downtown #Montreal Time: 4pm#QCstorm pic.twitter.com/mHapPVq8mY
The storm as it was approaching downtown StormWatchQC on Twitter: "The storm as it was approaching downtown #Montreal Time: 4pm#QCstorm pic.twitter.com/mHapPVq8mY / Twitter"
Time: 4pmStormWatchQC on Twitter: "The storm as it was approaching downtown #Montreal Time: 4pm#QCstorm pic.twitter.com/mHapPVq8mY / Twitter" StormWatchQC on Twitter: "The storm as it was approaching downtown #Montreal Time: 4pm#QCstorm pic.twitter.com/mHapPVq8mY / Twitter"— StormWatchQC (@Westmountstorm1) StormWatchQC on Twitter: "The storm as it was approaching downtown #Montreal Time: 4pm#QCstorm pic.twitter.com/mHapPVq8mY / Twitter"
Of course. The power just went out. #QCstorm pic.twitter.com/Z9U8tec7Ih
Of course. The power just went out. François Péladeau on Twitter: "Of course. The power just went out. #QCstorm pic.twitter.com/Z9U8tec7Ih / Twitter" François Péladeau on Twitter: "Of course. The power just went out. #QCstorm pic.twitter.com/Z9U8tec7Ih / Twitter"
— François Péladeau (@F__Peladeau) François Péladeau on Twitter: "Of course. The power just went out. #QCstorm pic.twitter.com/Z9U8tec7Ih / Twitter"
La 20 est inondée 😬#QCstorm pic.twitter.com/GKclvD2WOj
La 20 est inondée 😬Louis-Éric Mongrain on Twitter: "La 20 est inondée 😬#QCstorm pic.twitter.com/GKclvD2WOj / Twitter" Louis-Éric Mongrain on Twitter: "La 20 est inondée 😬#QCstorm pic.twitter.com/GKclvD2WOj / Twitter"
— Louis-Éric Mongrain (@mongrainle) Louis-Éric Mongrain on Twitter: "La 20 est inondée 😬#QCstorm pic.twitter.com/GKclvD2WOj / Twitter"
WATCH: Tornado touches down in southern Ottawa, damaging homes
Thumbnail image courtesy of Baxter Merry in Montreal, Quebec.