Tornado upgraded to Level 2
Environment Canada reassesses twister in Combermere based on photographs

The town was savaged by a Level 2 or "strong tornado" with winds from 181 to 240 km/h, Geoff Coulson, an Environment Canada meteorologist, said yesterday.

Based on the amount of damage -- healthy white pines were snapped off and de-barked -- winds probably topped out at about 200 km/h.

The upgrade is based on the photographs taken Thursday and discussions between a tornado researcher in Toronto and an investigator on location.

The worst of the damage was through the resort area and into the town, a swath 300 to 400 metres wide and two to four kilometres long.
--Ottawa Citizen