It was likely a “gust front” and not a tornado that many people witnessed in Waterloo Region during Thursday night’s storm.

That from an Environment Canada official.

“That’s not unusual in a thunderstorm. The down draft from a thunderstorm typically spreads out ahead of the storm and can cause a lot of strange looking visual phenomenon’s that can resemble tornadoes.” said Warning Preparedness Meteorologist, Peter Kimbell.

The powerful wind also knocked down some tree limbs and even blew a fence down in Kitchener.