THE WINDS OF CHANGE

Storms that knock down trees and cut power are becoming increasingly common. A snapshot of the May 2022 derecho offers a glimpse of what city hall and small businesses are doing to prepare for the next big one

- HANNAH SABOURIN

A YEAR AFTER a large windstorm tore through the region, the city continues to clean up the mess it left behind.

Meteorologists dubbed it a derecho, the Spanish word for "straight." More common to the U.S. Midwest, a derecho is a group of fast-moving thunderstorms that spans a great distance. Unlike tornadoes with their twisting winds, derechoes move in straight lines.

The storm struck southeastern Ontario and southwestern Quebec on May 21. Gusts of up to 190km/h battered everything in its path, turning forests into trash heaps, taking down power lines, ripping roofs off homes, and injuring many bystanders. Across the region 11 people were killed, including two from the Ottawa area.

According to the National Capital Commission (NCC), rising temperatures could mean that more wind storms like the 2022 derecho are coming. Their experts found that by 2041, wind storms above 60km/h could occur 16 times a year, and wind gusts above 80km/h will hit the region once or twice per year.

Since 2018, residents have lived through three tornadoes. But the 2022 derecho was the strongest wind storm to ever pass through the area.

The city deployed cleanup crews to pick up fallen trees from streets and parks; community centres opened their doors to those seeking food and water. But the long-lasting effects have many wondering about the efficiency of Ottawa's storm management plans. Residents want more proactive solutions to limit the impact of the city's next major storm.

TREES PLEASE

The derecho left many of Ottawa's green spaces unrecognizable.