Western's Northern Tornadoes Project investigating storm damage near Aylmer

A team from Western University’s Northern Tornadoes Project (NTP) is conducting ground and drone investigations today in southwestern Ontario.

"When we get reports of damage often we don't know if it was a tornado or downburst that was the cause, so one of the first things the team will do when they get to these sites is try to find the area of worst damage…then try to find how long and how wide, because that can tell us a lot about what caused the damage,” explained David Sills, executive director of the Northern Tornadoes Project.

Sills said that if it's a long narrow path, that is typically indicative of a tornado, whereas if we are looking at a wide path and damage over a large area that is more likely a downburst.

A series of storms rolled through the region earlier this week, with damage being reported in Aylmer and Rondeau Provincial Park.

Damage was evident along Roger’s Road near Aylmer on Tuesday, where hundreds of trees, tree branches, and even a flagpole were snapped

One of the properties hit the hardest was a local and tourist hotspot set in the woods - The Pinecroft.

NTP hopes to have results from their investigations this weekend.