A letter to my local MP.

[conestogo_flood]

I did not know if I should post this, but I would like everyone to know in the weather community, because this is Canadian weather related.

Environment Canada is Canada's weather agency. They do a good job the most part, but could improve greatly. But, they can't. They have very little government funding. So, I decided to email my local MP about it, so he can take it to the government. I have not yet received a response, it has only been about 20 hours.

Here is the email...

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Hello Mr. Telegdi,
My name is Mike, and I am a resident of Waterloo. I am an avid storm watcher, and weather is a major hobby of mine. I take natural hazards seriously, and believe good weather warnings are essential to the public saftey of all Canadians.

This brings me to a major concern, or issue, about Environment Canada. I have been paying attention to their warning habits and whatnot, and I found something very alarming. They lack quality and significance. It just appears that no real advancements have been made in their technology and habbits over the past decade. The weather warnings are far to out of date, and need serious improvement, especially for tornadoes and severe thunderstorm.

Canada is second in the world for most tornadoes confirmed, 60-100 on average, but the number is probably more 200 because of the sparse population to actually see a tornado in all areas of Canada. So, weather safety should be a major concern of the people of Canada, and the government. One problem. It isn't.

I was so fed up with what is going on at Environment Canada, that I decided to talk one on one to an Environment Canada meteorologist to find out what is going on down there.

I asked important questions that I feel need to be addressed, and received alarming responses. The capability of Environment Canada does not reflect their habbits and styles.

First, to show how "under-advanced" Environment Canada is in their tornado warnings, here is a comparison of a tornado warning issued by The National Weather Service in the United States, to an Environment Canada tornado warning:

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LITTLE ROCK AR
1036 PM CST THU JAN 12 2006

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LITTLE ROCK HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
SOUTHERN POPE COUNTY IN CENTRAL ARKANSAS
NORTHEASTERN YELL COUNTY IN CENTRAL ARKANSAS

* UNTIL 1115 PM CST

* AT 1030 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 6 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF DARDANELLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
DARDANELLE...RUSSELLVILLE AROUND 1040 PM CST
POTTSVILLE AROUND 1045 PM CST
ATKINS AROUND 1050 PM CST

&&

REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. THEY
WILL RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST
OFFICE IN LITTLE ROCK.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 200 AM CST FRIDAY MORNING FOR
WESTERN ARKANSAS.
As opposed to an Environment Canada tornado warning...

TORNADO WARNING
UPDATED BY ENVIRONMENT CANADA
AT 2:20 PM EDT FRIDAY 19 AUGUST 2005.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
TORNADO WARNING FOR:
=NEW= HALTON HILLS - MILTON
=NEW= MISSISSAUGA - BRAMPTON
=NEW= CALEDON
KITCHENER - CAMBRIDGE - REGION OF WATERLOO
GUELPH - ERIN - SOUTHERN WELLINGTON COUNTY
ORANGEVILLE - GRAND VALLEY - SOUTHERN DUFFERIN COUNTY.

TORNADO WARNING ENDED FOR:
MOUNT FOREST - ARTHUR - NORTHERN WELLINGTON COUNTY.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING UPGRADED TO TORNADO WARNING FOR:
HALTON HILLS - MILTON
MISSISSAUGA - BRAMPTON
CALEDON.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
==DISCUSSION==
RADAR IS DETECTING A LINE OF SEVERE ROTATING STORMS FROM NORTHWEST OF
ORANGEVILLE TO NORTHEAST OF KITCHENER. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL
REPORTS OF TORNADOES AND DAMAGE WITHIN THIS LINE OF STORMS.
THESE STORMS ARE MOVING EASTWARD AT 70 KM/H.

THIS IS A WARNING THAT SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH TORNADOES ARE
IMMINENT OR OCCURRING IN THESE REGIONS. MONITOR WEATHER CONDITIONS.
TAKE IMMEDIATE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS.

Can you spot a problem? The National Weather Service warning is informative, gives a good idea to who needs to be taking shelter, and is very specific to what is going on. Environment Canada's is close to useless. On that day, there was only two main concern areas in those thunderstorms. There was a tornado near Fergus, and a rotating storm just south of Orangeville, but so many areas were put under a tornado warning, who didn't need to be. Also, there is no reference to where the tornado was, or who needs to be taking shelter. It is just taking a mass population and "crying wolf" if you may. Many people would have gone through that, and nothing happened. Some areas in that warning didn't even receive heavy rain. What does that tell you about the next tornado warning, when that time it could be a real tornado situation. People will disreguard it, and could end up seriously injured or even die.

Here is some questions I asked the meteorologist, whose name will remain unanimous.

Q: Why did Environment Canada stop displaying what time severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings were in effect until?

A: This was an attempt to make sure the bulletins were updated regularly. As in, if there's no set time for the watch/warning to end, the forecaster has to update often to make sure the bulletin is still valid. It's supposed to promote a higher level of service. That's not to say, though, that the wording in the bulletin can't say "the storm is expected to exit the region by xx time"--in fact, we're encouraged to do so, but some people aren't used to doing this, so they don't.

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Q: Why doesn't Environment Canada put in tornado warnings where the tornado was spotted, and where it will be near and at what time? They used to do it here in southern Ontario. Now it is just "a tornado was reported by the OPP."

A: This isn't an Environment Canada-wide thing. It's a stylistic choice made by each forecaster. Personally, I DO include such information in my warnings...i.e. "at 2:40 pm CDT the public reported a tornado near W, moving northeastward at 30 km/h. communities expected to be affected include X, Y, and Z."

---

Q: Why doesn't Environment Canada use the same RADAR as the National Weather Service?


A: Money. The Canadian RADARS are cheaper.

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Q: How come Environment Canada's tornado warnings don't have much lead time?


A: Because of the mindset in a lot of the forecasters' minds. A lot of them are reluctant to issue warnings until there has been a report of a tornado. Personally I disagree with this, and I think we should issue when RADAR indicates the possibility of a tornado. I do this all the time.

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Q: Why is there no real tornado education in southern Ontario about tornadoes? I have a hard enough time arguing with friends and family about tornadoes here. No one takes them seriously. There needs to be education. Make a commercial or something.

A: That would come down to money. Although we are supposed to have an education/outreach person in southern Ontario, so I don't know how to answer that. The education should be there. Why it's not, I don't know.

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Q: This might not be in control of EC, but why is there no emergency broadcast system for weather warnings on the television?

A: You nailed it there--it's out of EC's jurisdiction. We've been crying for such a capability for years, but the CRTC has, for whatever reason, not allowed it. I think the tide is changing on that one, so wait a year or 2 and see what you get...

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From the met:
(Now I have to say this for legal purposes) Everything I've said here is my personal opinion, and doesn't necessarily reflect the position of Environment Canada or the government of Canada. Or anyone else except for myself.

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These questions received almost outrageous answers. In the United States, the average tornado warning lead time is 18 minutes. In Canada, it is more seconds if you can see it coming. The NWS issues tornado warnings based on what their advanced weather RADARs can see. Environment Canada is still living in the old days, when tornado warnings were issued based on sightings by the public. Heck, they are even reluctant to issue a tornado warning on a funnel cloud. That is unacceptable.

Compare these websites:

The National Weather Service: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/
Environment Canada: http://www.weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca/canada_e.html

I see the difference. The National Weather Service's is just far more appealing, and more professional. Just because Canada does not receive all the exact same weather events such as the USA, doesn't mean we should be ready. In southern Canada, where the tornado threat is extreme, Environment Canada technology should be upgraded immediatly. But, there is a catch. They can't update. I do not know an exact figure, but this is what I was told by the meteorologist, "EC can't mirror the NWS because of lack of funding. The Canadian Weather Service is funded, in relative terms, about 1/10th the amount the Americal Weather Service is.". That is again, outrageous. Public safety should be a top two concern in the government, but not enough is being done. Environment Canada deserves, and needs, more funding. It should be done immediatly, it does not have to be exact to the NWS, but it should be half, of three-quarters what the NWS receives in funding.

Please Mr. Telegdi, Environment Canada needs more funding. They are way to out of date. Something has got to be done. As my county MP, I feel you can do something about this. This may not be a major concern to many Canadians, or those in the government, but it is needed 100%. Under Canadian civil rights, it should state the citizens deserve the best weather forecasting technology for public safety. Without it, millions are at risk of serious injury or even death. Do everyone a favour.

Also, don't look at past weather events in Canada to base a conclusion. Think of what could happen if another tornado outbreak hit. Is Environment Canada ready? Are they in a good enough posotion to accurately warn the public, and provide the latest details onto what is occuring? Not exactly. They can issue the tornado warnings, but it would probably be too late and unnessesary in most areas.

Literally, "stop the madness" down at Environment Canada. They need more funding.

Here is a few tornado figures to consider for Ontario.

1993 - 2003
67 confirmed
40 probable
84 possible
F3- 2
F2- 7
F1- 34
F0- 64
1918 - 2005
F4- 7
F3- 21
F2- 127
F1- 198
F0- 312

=665

The Fujita Scale is how a tornado is measured, those F ratings can be defined by looking at this:

F0 - light winds of 64 to 116 km/hr; some damage to chimneys, TV antennas, roof shingles, trees, signs, and windows and accounts for about 28 percent of all tornadoes.

F1 - moderate winds of 117 to 180 km/hr; automobiles overturned, carports destroyed, and trees uprooted. F1 tornadoes account for about 39 percent of all tornadoes.

F2 - considerable winds of 181 to 252 km/hr; roofs blown off homes, sheds and outbuildings demolished, and mobile homes overturned. F2 tornadoes account for about 24 percent of all tornadoes.

F3 - severe winds of 253 to 330 km/hr; exterior walls and roofs blown off homes, metal buildings collapsed or severely damaged, and forests and farmland flattened. F3 tornadoes account for about six percent of all tornadoes.

F4 - devastating winds of 331 to 417 km/hr; few walls, if any, left standing in well-built homes; large steel and concrete missiles thrown great distances. F4 tornadoes account for about two percent of all tornadoes.

F5 - incredible winds of 418 to 509 km/hr; homes leveled or carried great distances. F5 tornadoes can cause tremendous damage to large structures such as schools and motels and can tear off exterior walls and roofs. Tornadoes of this magnitude account for less than one percent of all tornadoes and have never been officially recorded in Canada. However, recent research suggests that as many as two may have occurred in Saskatchewan, regardless, F5 tornadoes are possible in Canada every summer.

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Thank you for considering this email. Please take all this information to heart, and try to get something done. Other MPs across Canada have been notified about the situation, but I do not know what exactly is being done. It might be up to you. Talk to some people. Help out the public. As our county MP, it is up to you to speak for the people. We are speaking, and it is for a better weather forecasting agency, who is lacking in several areas.

Mike

Also, if you could, please reply to this. So I can hear your opinion.