Heading into our peak severe weather season in the Canadian prairies we have seen quite a few tornado warnings issued in the province. But how common is it to get tornadoes in Saskatchewan? Saskatchewan averages around 14-18 confirmed tornadoes a year, with fluctuations from year to year. 2023 saw a record low at only 1 confirmed tornado and 2012 saw a record high of 33 confirmed tornados.
A research project out of Western University, the Northern Tornadoes Project, (NTP) was founded in 2017 to better detect tornado occurrences in Canada and collect data on past occurrences to increase understanding of these events in Canada. Recently they have released a new advanced dashboard for the public. It tracks tornado data from 1980-2023 currently. Tornado records have only been kept since the 1980s but the team is working to add historical data from prior to those dates and update current data every year.
Dr. David Sills, the executive director of the Northern Tornadoes Project, says "They get a lot of request from media, schools, and municipalities asking for data" so the new advanced dashboard is a great way for the public to find information regarding tornado activity. It has more features than their main dashboard. The advanced dashboard shows the tracks of the tornados, the length and width of the track, and intensity on the EF scale. It also includes damage reports and other information regarding the tornado and even injuries reported. Filters allow you to narrow it down to specific dates and areas.
This dashboard is open and accessible to anybody, you just have to create an account. You can find information and instructions here to create your account and view the data.
https://www.uwo.ca/ntp/blog/2024/ntps_new_advanced_dashboard_released.html
You can report a tornado to Northern Tornadoes Project HERE or email your information to ntp@uwo.ca