CAPSIZED CRAFT Above, Invermere Sales & Rentals staff attend to one of two pontoon boats blown over by a mini twister on May 5th (photo by Kevin Nimmock). Below is a screen shot taken from Dayna Dearins video of the twister moving through Athalmer.
By Kevin Nimmock
Pioneer Staff
A dust devil, similar to a small tornado, blew over two pontoon boats at Invermere Sales & Rentals on Tuesday, May 5th. Workers were quick to get to the scene and attempt to rescue the tipped vessels.
The dust devils effects were felt all around the Industrial Park, with chain linked fences blown down and broken branches littering the road.
We got it all cleaned up, but there are going to be some damages, said Jamie Auck, manager of Invermere Sales & Rentals.
A video of the dust devil shot by resident Dayna Dearin went viral, receiving 16,000 views in one day. In the video, cars are shown driving into the path of the storm.
The dust devil was the result of an upper level low pressure trough moving through B.C. combining with daytime heating. The weather pattern caused unusual conditions across the province.
In Vancouver, residents were treated to hail storms and lightning strikes. In Invermere, the whirlwind was an unexpected sight. The dust devil did not cause any injuries.
