Meet an Ottawa storm chaser who runs into the face of danger
When there's a storm brewing most people take cover, but Andrew Macklin dives right in.
- Sign up now for our daily CTV News Ottawa newsletters
- The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
"Some days you'll see something you'll never see in your life," he said.
"That’s what draws me, it's the unknown."
Macklin has been a storm chaser for over ten years and has captured footage of storms across the province and the country.
"The morning of a storm, I'll drive to the target area and once it fires, you get on it like a dog on a bone and you relay info to Environment Canada as accurately as possible so they can warn the public," he said.
Now, he's sharing his adventures with enthusiasts at the Ottawa Public Library.
"Tornados are something quite beautiful in the beginning with the formation of the clouds and the colours," said Kathy Veck, a storm chasing enthusiast.
"But there's the bad part of tornados, too."
Ottawa has 'weathered' several storms and tornados in 2023. Two tornadoes in Barrhaven left behind a trail of destruction last July, ripping the roof off some homes and scattering debris across the neighbourhood.
Homes are left damaged following a tornado in the Ottawa suburb of Barrhaven on Thursday, July 13, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean KilpatrickJust weeks later, another tornado touched down in the capital in Findlay Creek and Riverside South.
Most tornado activity in the country happens in July, Macklin says. As Ottawa approaches the summer months, many are keen to educate themselves.
"It was heartbreaking to see some of the damage and that's why we have to take it seriously," said Veck. "We want to be storm savvy to protect ourselves."
Macklin says while anything is possible, he doesn't anticipate a repeat of last year's tornado season.
"I don’t have a crystal ball, but 2023 was an above average season," said Macklin.
"We are moving from an El Nino to a La Nina year, so the storms are favoured more in the southwestern region of Ontario, but that's not to say we won't see storms here in the summer."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Chants of 'shame on you' greet guests arriving for the annual White House correspondents' dinner
An election-year roast of U.S. President Joe Biden before journalists, celebrities and politicians at the annual White House correspondents' dinner Saturday.
What is a 'halal mortgage'? Does it make housing more accessible?
The 2024 federal budget announced on April 16 included plans to introduce “halal mortgages” as a way to increase access to home ownership.
Here's where Canadians are living abroad: report
A recent report sheds light on Canadians living abroad--estimated at around four million people in 2016—and the public policies that impact them.
Deadly six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 sparked by road rage incident
One person was killed in a six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Innisfil Friday evening.
Opinion I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'doesn't get' the global phenomenon.
Invasive and toxic hammerhead worms make themselves at home in Ontario
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
Harvey Weinstein hospitalized after return to New York from upstate prison
Harvey Weinstein’s lawyer said Saturday that the onetime movie mogul has been hospitalized for a battery of tests after his return to New York City following an appeals court ruling nullifying his 2020 rape conviction.
'We are declaring our readiness': No decision made yet as Poland declares it's ready to host nuclear weapons
Polish President Andrzej Duda says while no decision has been made around whether Poland will host nuclear weapons as part of an expansion of the NATO alliance’s nuclear sharing program, his country is willing and prepared to do so.
Central Alberta queer groups react to request from Red Deer-South to reinstate Jennifer Johnson to UCP caucus
A number of LGBQT+2s groups in Central Alberta are pushing back against a request from the Red Deer South UCP constituency to reinstate MLA Jennifer Johnson into the UCP caucus.