Severe Weather Threat Looms Across Prairie Provinces, With Tornado Risk in Manitoba

Another active day of severe weather is expected across the Prairie provinces today, with the greatest threat focused on southern Alberta and Manitoba.

Conditions are favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms capable of producing large hail and damaging wind gusts across southern Alberta, particularly in a corridor stretching from Olds to Pincher Creek and eastward toward the Saskatchewan border.

A low-pressure system is expected to move into Manitoba, increasing the risk of a widespread severe weather outbreak along an advancing cold front. Storms are expected to develop in western Manitoba this afternoon before the threat shifts east into the Interlake region and the Red River Valley through the evening and overnight hours.

Conditions will support the development of severe thunderstorms capable of producing all forms of severe weather, including large hail, damaging winds and tornadoes. The greatest tornado risk is expected during the evening hours as a strengthening low-level jet enhanced storm rotation across the Interlake region.

Storms could intensify overnight as an upper-level disturbance moved in from Alberta, potentially organizing into a powerful mesoscale convective system capable of producing widespread severe weather.

In southwestern Saskatchewan, a separate severe thunderstorm threat is forecast for Sunday afternoon and evening. Severe storms capable of producing wind gusts and hail measuring between two and four centimetres in diameter could develop.

Northern Manitoba is also expected to see thunderstorms moving northeastward throughout the day. Some storms could become severe, particularly across east-central parts of the province.