Today is shaping up to be an active weather day in the province, with a risk of thunderstorms that could produce large hail and an isolated tornado developing across Alberta.
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s (ECCC) Thunderstorm Outlook Potential says Friday is looking to be active across portions of central and southern Alberta; however, it will be “rather complex.”
The ECCC says in its outlook that it’s expected that cloud cover and strong capping will stop thunderstorms from developing early on, until “at least the late morning into the early afternoon hours, at which time cloud cover will thin from west to east.”
When that happens, convective temperatures will be reached and the surface low comes into play, storms will develop, and any storms that do appear will “likely have large hail and strong winds associated with it,” with an isolated tornado not being ruled out.
Hail up to five centimetres in size is possible, with wind speeds of up to 90 km/h.
Another day of thunderstorms across central Alberta is forecast. Keep your eye to the sky and make sure to have a safe place to shelter if a storm rolls through this afternoon. Here is today’s thunderstorm outlook. #ABStorm #ABWx pic.twitter.com/bOpWsXIj7u
— ECCC Weather Alberta (@ECCCWeatherAB) June 14, 2024
The ECCC outlook added that later tonight, some rain will pop up over northwest Alberta and will sit in that area for the next day, with upwards of 40 to 50 mm possible by Saturday afternoon, with a potential rainfall warning in the cards for the area in question.