Funnel clouds spotted in Saskatchewan

Monday, July 13, 2015, 5:11 PM - Unstable conditions combined to generate funnel clouds over Saskatchewan Monday afternoon.

Several images of the clouds were posted to social media sites Monday afternoon.

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"Funnel clouds are forming this afternoon as a trough of low pressure and warm moist unstable conditions combine over parts of southern Saskatchewan," Environment Canada says in a statement.

"These funnel clouds are forming on a line of thunderstorms that runs northwest to southeast from the Outlook area through Moose Jaw and on to Radville. Earlier today, at 1:40 pm CST, numerous reports of funnel clouds in the Moose Jaw area were received."

FUNNEL CLOUD VS. TORNADO

A funnel cloud is, like its name suggests, a funnel-shaped cloud. If it makes contact with the ground (or water) the cloud will serve as the core of a tornado or a waterspout.

The type of funnel clouds observes in Saskatchewan Monday were generated "by weak rotation under rapidly growing clouds or weak thunderstorms," Environment Canada says.

"This weak rotation is normally not a danger near the ground. However, there is a chance that this rotation could intensify and become a weak landspout tornado."

Should a funnel cloud develop, seek shelter. The clouds can appear with little to no warning.

Thunderstorms are moving through southern Saskatchewan, bringing the risk of locally heavy downpours to some communities.