London 'It came out of nowhere!' Aylmer tourist hotspot hit by extreme storm The roof of a small SUV is smashed by a fallen tree following a sudden storm near Aylmer, Ontario on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (Source: Submitted) Share An area southwest of Aylmer is cleaning up after a sudden storm Monday afternoon caught people off guard.
Hundreds of trees, tree branches, and even a flag pole were snapped along Rogers Road. Buildings and a vehicle were also damaged. One of the properties hit the hardest is a local and tourist hotspot set in the woods.
The staff at the Pinecroft was busy serving indoor and outdoor guests a late lunch and beverages, around 2:15 p.m. Monday, when all of a sudden, "The sky darkened and the winds kicked up,” said Co-owner Sarah Smith.
"It was like a tornado. It was so loud. When it hit, the entire building shook.
I was in the kitchen and the whole roof just shook. It was insane! She shared, adding, "It came out of nowhere. It was midnight, well, it t seemed like it was midnight.
[It] got so black and poured rain." As outdoor patio customers scrambled for cover just a few metres south, trees started snapping. Another employee, who declined to share her name, explained what happened next.
Trees rest on the roof of the restaurant portion of Pinecroft on Aug. 5, 2024. (Source: Submitted) "The trees cracked and then about three trees, I believe at the same time, hit the roof.
" A picture shared with CTV News London showed the trees resting on the rooftop. But .