Northern Tornadoes Project tracked longest storm season on record in 2024

NTP surveyors Aaron (foreground) and Maia (background) investigating wind damage from the Jasper, AB wildfires (Source: Northern Tornadoes Project)

According to the annual report issued by Western University’s Northern Tornadoes Project (NTP) this week, 2024 was the longest tornado season on record.

Researchers at the NTP say that the first confirmed tornado in Canada this year touched down on March 16, and the last on November 10 - making the season 240 days over nine different months. Typical tornado seasons in Canada usually spans six months, from the middle of April to the middle of September.

“It’s the longest tornado season on record since at least 1980, according to our records,” said David Sills, NTP executive director. “The length of the 2024 season is yet another invaluable data point that will impact how we investigate – and ultimately understand – severe convective storms in Canada.”

Not only was the range of occurrences much broader than is typical, but researchers also documented the second highest number of tornados in a single season.

In 2024, 129 tornados were verified across Canada by the NTP - the record stands in 2022, with 131.

Although the NTP’s range of study encompasses all of Canada, Ontario was hit the hardest, with 50 land events and 10 over water.

There were 12 EF2-rated tornadoes recorded by NTP last year, doubling the total of six in 2023. EF ratings designate the severity of a tornado.

“There were twice as many tornadoes rated EF2 or higher across Canada this year versus last year, but that’s still far less than the 30-plus that were recorded in 2021 and 2022,” said Sills.