See it: Funnel cloud spotted over Prairies as storms roll in
Meteorologist
Wednesday, May 9, 2018, 6:56 AM - Thunderstorms fired up over southwestern Saskatchewan on Tuesday, prompting isolated reports of nickel-sized hail and numerous sightings of at least one massive funnel cloud in the province. See it below.
Environment Canada issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Swift Current in the early evening, tracking one particularly potent thunderstorm cell capable of producing significant hail, but the star of the show for many was an ominous-looking large funnel cloud, stretching toward the ground northwest of the city.
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WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS
- Temperatures dip as disturbance makes its way across the region
- Period of rain moves from west to east through Alberta on Wednesday, with some mixed precipitation in the overnight period into Thursday
- Showers return to southern Saskatchewan for Thursday
An upper-level trough swinging across the Prairies has been the driver for unsettled weather on Monday and Tuesday, working its way eastward across the Prairies. Dewpoints have generally been fairly low across the region, meaning that, while the enhanced lift is there to help storms fire up, the environmental conditions haven't been all that favourable for widespread convection. Storms over Saskatchewan have had a bit of an easier time of it, with some moisture flowing up from the U.S. Plains, but generally speaking stronger thunderstorm cells have still faced an uphill battle.
Perfect thunderstorm conditions or not, the storms that did manage to form put on a good show for residents of the region as southern Saskatchewan welcomed some much-needed rain.
COLDER AIR ARRIVES IN WESTERN PRAIRIES
While stormy weather moves out for Wednesday, our upper-level trough has one last 'gift' for the western Prairies, a dip in high temperatures. The colder air has arrived in the western Prairies with temperatures struggling to reach the 10 degree mark in parts of Alberta on Wednesday. The cold front will drop through the eastern Prairies through the day with temperatures dipping to the freezing mark in southern Manitoba by Wednesday night.
Winnipeg became the first major city in Canada to hit 30°C on Monday, sparking further wildfire concerns. As you can see in the forecast below however, the roller coaster of spring continues toward the weekend, with temperatures climbing once again and the return of sunny skies.
Another system moving into the B.C. coast on Wednesday is expected to bring a heavier round of rain before pushing into Alberta overnight into Thursday. This will bring another dose of rain to parched southern Saskatchewan later on Thursday.
