"Synthetic Aperture Radar as a Tool for Tornado Classification in Forested Areas" demonstrates how SAR can reveal tornado damage signatures in strong tornadoes, offering a way to provide EF-scale ratings in heavily forested regions where optical imagery struggles (doi.org/10.1080/0703...).

These papers highlight complementary remote sensing approaches that can help improve spatial coverage and consistency of tornado intensity assessments. Grateful for @cssl.ca team who made these studies possible!

"Evaluating the Utility of NDVI as a Damage Indicator for Crops in the Enhanced Fujita Scale" tests how NDVI changes can be used to identify crop damage from tornadoes, describes limitations, and shows how NDVI can supplement ground surveys in agricultural areas (doi.org/10.1175/JAMC...).

I'm happy to share two @cssl.ca open-access remote sensing papers that are both related to alternative methods of classifying tornado damage! 🧵:

The CSSL/NTP assisted the US National Weather Service (NWS) with their upgrading of the official rating of the June 2025 Enderlin, ND tornado from EF3 to EF5. Announced by the NWS today, it’s the first EF5-rated tornado in the US since 2013. Details here: uwo.ca/ntp/blog/202... Image B. Emfinger

Excited to announce that my method for estimating wind speeds based on lofted debris in tornadoes was used as contextual evidence for upgrading the Enderlin, ND tornado to an EF5! doi.org/10.1175/MWR-... #NDwx #Enderlin #EF5 #Tornado

Two new open access journal papers today from CSSL researchers! Stochastic Modeling of Radar-derived Maximum Estimated Size of Hail for Scenario-based Hail Loss Estimation doi.org/10.1016/j.ij... Multi-Level In-Situ Measurements During a Direct Hit by a Significant Tornado doi.org/10.1080/0705...

**Damage Survey Announcement: Following an extreme rainfall event and resulting flash flooding across SE Manitoba on Sept 11 & 12, a CSSL damage survey team will be conducting an assessment of the event's impacts. Please let us know if you have any rainfall and/or damage reports! #mbstorm @cssl.ca

The NTP has confirmed that a downburst (paired with large hail) caused high-end EF1 damage in the Brooks, AB area on August 20. Details at the NTP blog here: uwo.ca/ntp/blog/202... Note that ongoing analysis may result in additional events and/or a rating upgrade. #ABstorm #SKstorm

The NTP has confirmed two EF1 downbursts (one being a microburst), an EF0 tornado and a gustnado from the SK storms of Aug 20 near Saskatoon. The assessments are based on witness reports, an NTP damage survey, and radar/satellite imagery analysis. Details here: uwo.ca/ntp/blog/202... #SKstorm

New Paper Alert! "Analysis of Forest-Based Tornadoes Using Treefall Patterns" in Monthly Weather Review, authored by our team at @cssl.ca and led by PhD candidate Daniel Butt. Based on this and other techniques, we may be able to re-rate some Canadian tornadoes. journals.ametsoc.org/view/journal...

UPDATE: Two NTP teams will investigate wind damage, one in SE AB and one in central SK. The NHP will also have a team investigating hail damage in the Cassils / Brooks, AB area. Please send significant damage reports to @ntp-reports.bsky.social and @nhp-reports.bsky.social. #ABstorm #SKstorm

There are numerous reports of significant wind damage in southeastern Alberta from intense storms earlier today. Hail damage has also been reported. An NTP survey team will leave tomorrow for the area to thoroughly assess the damage. Please send damage reports to @ntp-reports.bsky.social. #ABstorm

The Canadian Severe Storms Lab is excited to be a sponsor of the 41st AMS International Conference on Radar Meteorology in Toronto next week. Welcome to all those travelling from afar! And it looks to be a stellar program - have a look here: www.ametsoc.org/ams/meetings... #AMS41Radar

“Scientists-turned-storm chasers” are tracking down Alberta hail storms to better understand how to protect against them. Researchers from the Canadian Severe Storms Laboratory ( @cssl.ca ) at #WesternU spoke with the @theglobeandmail.com about the Northern Hail Project.

Follow the link below to a new article on the detection and prediction of 'extreme' thunderstorms by Drs. Sills and Kopp of the Canadian Severe Storm Laboratory. Published in The Conversation (Canada). Let us know what you think! theconversation.com/its-challeng...

Spark had the best rainy day with the Canadian Severe Storm Lab. Guests got to learn how the Northern Hail Project team tracks down the perfect #storm and the tools used to get hail data! They also showed off their storm-chasing vehicles and surveillance drones. ⛈️ Thanks for coming @cssl.ca!

Calgary has a long history of intense hailstorms, and this summer is no different. @weathernetwork.bsky.social spoke with #WesternU hail researcher Matthew Woodward, who is on the ground documenting damage from a recent storm for @cssl.ca

What Canada could learn from the tragic consequences of the Texas flash flood (written by Dr. Gordon McBean) theconversation.com/what-canada-...

Come here…to Toronto! Registration is now open for the @ametsoc.org @ametsoc-radar.bsky.social 41st International Conference on Radar Meteorology! www.ametsoc.org/ams/meetings...

After extensive analysis, the NTP is able to provide documentation for the 10 tornadoes that occurred as part of an outbreak in southern SK on June 19th. The outbreak included 2 EF2 and three EF1 tornadoes. Full details at www.uwo.ca/ntp/blog/202... #SKstorm

The CSSL is featured in the current episode of CBC Radio's Quirks and Quarks! Head here for the link to the audio: www.cbc.ca/radio/quirks... Thanks to our colleagues Harold Brooks, John Allen, Paul Kovacs and Tanya Brown-Giammanco for contributing.

Big crowd for this month’s CSSL Seminar now that all of the interns have started (there are even more online). Speaking today is Dr. Connell Miller, Director of CSSL’s Northern Mesonet Project (@westernunmp.bsky.social), on experimental tornado wind estimation methods. @westernuresearch.bsky.social

The NTP has confirmed that a tornado occurred in southern Alberta near Rolling Hills yesterday. Analysis of photos/video, radar and storm environment indicates that this was a 'landspout'-type tornado. It is also the first recorded tornado of the year in Canada. Further details soon. #ABstorm

The NTP has completed a third Tornado Warning Performance Assessment for Canada, this time covering 2023-2024. It includes a 'report card' on progress. And we're happy to report that there has been progress - the overall score has improved enough to earn a 'C'. Details here: uwo.ca/ntp/blog/202...

A very big update is now live on the Canadian Mesonet Portal! This includes new meteorological variables, saving / exporting settings and more! For more details, you can check out the link below. But here are the main highlights for you to see in a 🧵: www.uwo.ca/nmp/news/202...

NTP's Annual Report for 2024 is now available! The 2024 Canadian tornado season started Mar 16 and ended Nov 10 - the longest on record since at least 1980. And the 129 tornadoes for the year comes second only to 2022 when there was 131. Press release and link: news.westernu.ca/2025/02/torn...

There is one remaining online info session for those interested in CSSL intern opportunities - Jan 23 at 7 pm ET. Note the application deadline is Jan 27. You can learn more about the CSSL internship program and how to register for the info session here: westernuniversity.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

The sad news reached us that Chuck Doswell has passed away. ESSL will be forever grateful for his intensive engagement. With his unique talent to reduce severe storm science to its core and his engaging style of teaching and friendliness he has made an enormous impact on European storm research.

The NTP systematic satellite imagery review for 2024 also turned up 11 new tornadoes from 2013 to 2023! The following blog post provides details for these, as well as for a damage track reported on social media and confirmed by NTP as a tornado from 1988: uwo.ca/ntp/blog/202...

At the end of each year, NTP staff undertake a systematic review of satellite imagery to find any forest damage that may have been missed. In 2024, it turned up 14 new tornadoes. Add in a couple of stragglers, and the 2024 count goes up to 129. A busy year! Details here: uwo.ca/ntp/blog/202...

There will be two online info sessions for those interested in CSSL intern opportunities - Jan 8 at 12:30 PM ET and Jan 23 at 7 pm ET. You can learn more about the CSSL internship program and how to register for an info session here: uwo.ca/cssl/interns...

Dive into real-world research and fieldwork with the CSSL Summer Internship Program! Learn more and apply here: uwo.ca/cssl/internships/index.html Don't miss your chance to gain hands-on experience with leading hail and tornado experts in the field. Applications close on January 27th.

Hello Bluesky! We’re thrilled to be here! If you missed our launch in late October and haven’t visited the Canadian Mesonet Portal yet, you can find it here! meso.cssl.ca

If you were wondering where to show your newest research results on severe storms next year: ESSL & KNMI are proud to announce the 12th ECSS, which will take place in Utrecht, Netherlands between 17 and 21 November 2025. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Prof. Greg Kopp is the Director of the newly launched Canadian Severe Storms Laboratory. Congrats to Dr. Kopp on his Engineering R&D award!!!

The Northern Tornadoes Project has arrived at BlueSky! To see what we're all about, check out our website at uwo.ca/ntp. And make sure to interact with our map of Canada's tornadoes via the NTP Dashboard at uwo.ca/ntp/dashboard. Now up to 113 tornadoes for 2024 (5 in November!). #WXbluesky

Check out the video introduction to the new Canadian Severe Storms Laboratory! www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYc2...

The Canadian Severe Storms Laboratory has launched 🚀. Backed by 60 years of expertise in #wind engineering—and a $20M gift from ImpactWX—it will revolutionize how we understand Canada’s most extreme #weather. At our new website, cssl.ca, you can watch a recording of the first CSSL Symposium.