A brief, weak tornado touched down in the Southwood Plaza parking July 22 between Baaco's Pizza and the Shell gas station, Environment Canada has confirmed after interviewing eyewitness Catherine Spence.

"After consulting with the lead meteorologist we concluded that it was a brief weak tornado based on the information we received from Catherine, the witness," said Neil Fogg, an Environment Canada storm forecaster and meteorologist in Winnipeg.

Spence told the Thompson Citizen the cloud began at the western end of the parking lot, near Baaco's Pizza, and swept across the lot, picking up and re-distributing dirt and litter as it went along.

The cloud then made its way past the Shell gas station, where the roof above the fuel pumps prevented it from touching the ground, and was heading over the trees in the direction of Thompson General Hospital before it disappeared.

Spence estimates that the entire incident lasted about 2½ minutes. There were no injuries, and no readily visible damage.