Rare landspout tornado confirmed in British Columbia
The landspout occurred in central B.C. on May 21
Experts with the Northern Tornadoes Project (NTP) confirmed this week that a rare tornado occurred in central British Columbia on Wednesday, May 21.
Video from the region shot around 1:34 p.m. local time showed a landspout tornado near the town of Vanderhoof, located in central B.C. about 80 km west of Prince George.
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Officials assigned the landspout a default EF-0 rating because no damage was reported from the region. The NTP says they plan to analyze satellite imagery for signs of damage.
Landspout tornadoes form in a similar manner to waterspouts. This type of tornado forms beneath a developing cumulus or cumulonimbus cloud as rising air stretches and begins rapidly rotating.
Despite not forming like a traditional tornado, dangerous winds and flying debris make landspouts a hazard to life and property.
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This is the first tornado reported in British Columbia so far this year.
Tornadoes are relatively rare in this part of the country—the province can get through an entire year without any reported tornadoes.
B.C. recorded 31 tornadoes between 1980 and 2024, with 1990 featuring the most activity with four reported twisters. The vast majority of B.C.’s tornadoes have been relatively weak, but officials have confirmed six EF-2 tornadoes that left behind significant damage in their wake.
One of the province’s tornadoes that struck near Gun Lake on Aug. 18, 2023, was a fire-generated tornado associated with a powerful wildfire in the area.
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