Storm that killed Mallorytown camper confirmed as downburst by tornado experts

Wind speeds reached an estimated 115 kilometres per hour

The Northern Tornadoes Project (NTP) has confirmed a weak EF0 downburst struck the Mallorytown area early on June 22.

The storm tragically killed one person and seriously hurt a child at a local campground. Tree damage stretched nearly 9 kilometres long and up to 5 kilometres wide. Wind speeds reached an estimated 115 kilometres per hour.

NTP also surveyed storm damage in Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park near Mattawa. That area saw a stronger EF1 downburst, with damage among the most severe NTP has ever recorded.

More investigations are still underway in other parts of Ontario and Quebec affected by the June 21–22 storm system.

Experts are continuing to study how strong the winds were and how many downbursts may have occurred.

NTP says more updates will be shared as their analysis continues.

Downbursts can cause tornado-like damage and are part of NTP’s work to track severe weather in Canada.