Alberta: Thunderstorm Forecast for Saturday, June 17, 2023

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There is a focused region between Edmonton and Calgary that has a slight risk of severe thunderstorms during the afternoon and early evening in Alberta. This includes the Rocky Mountain House, Leduc, Reer, Olds, Strathmore and Drumheller regions. A few discrete isolated cells are expected to pop up in this area and the environment is favourable for them to produce severe wind gusts and hail. Up to 100 km/h wind gusts, golf ball-sized hail and an isolated tornado are possible with these storms.

Surrounding regions including Edmonton and Calgary could see some isolated severe weather although the worst of it is expected to be between the cities. Non-severe thunderstorm risk continues into Saskatchewan and we may also have a funnel cloud and landspout risk in Southeastern Alberta near the Saskatchewan border.

Alberta: Thunderstorm Forecast for Wednesday, June 14, 2023

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Thunderstorms are possible in Central and Eastern Alberta during the afternoon into the early evening on Wednesday. There is an isolated severe risk stretching from Calgary and into Eastern Alberta along the Saskatchewan border. The main threats include up to toonie-sized hail, 90 km/h wind gusts and maybe even an isolated tornado.

Heavy rain could be an issue around the Calgary area lingering into Thursday morning with locally up to 100mm possible (although this won’t be severe thunderstorm related so it isn’t included on the map).

Alberta: Thunderstorm Forecast for Tuesday, June 13, 2023

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FORECAST DISCUSSION

Isolated thunderstorms are possible across much of Central and Western Alberta on Tuesday. There is a slight risk for some of these storms to become severe around the Edmonton region. The main risks are up to golf ball-sized hail, 100 km/h wind gusts and flash flooding.

The potential for one or two tornadoes can’t be ruled out either just to the northwest of Edmonton.

TORNADO RISK

Alberta: Thunderstorm Forecast for Monday, June 12, 2023

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FORECAST DISCUSSION

Isolated non-severe thunderstorms are possible in parts of Southern Alberta on Monday. The potential for storms includes Banff, Calgary, High River, Lethbridge, Taber, Brooks, Strathmore and Wainwright.

Alberta: Thunderstorm Forecast for Sunday, June 11, 2023

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Scattered thunderstorms are expected to impact much of Southern and Central Alberta on Sunday during the afternoon and evening. Current indications suggest that the environment could be favourable for some isolated severe storms in the Calgary to Edmonton corridor. Any storms that develop in this area have the potential to produce large hail, damaging wind gusts and heavy rainfall. There could also be the chance for a few funnel clouds which in rare cases, can touch down and become a landspout tornado.

Landspout: A landspout is a type of tornado that forms under a weak thunderstorm. Unlike traditional tornadoes, which develop from supercell thunderstorms and are associated with a rotating updraft called a mesocyclone, landspouts form from non-supercell storms and do not have a mesocyclone. These tornadoes are generally weaker and shorter-lived than their supercell counterparts but can still pose a threat to property and life, with wind speeds occasionally reaching up to 160 km/h.

Alberta: Thunderstorm Forecast for Saturday, June 10, 2023

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Pop-up thunderstorms are possible along the Rockies and into the western part of the province on Saturday. Current indications suggest that these storms should be predominantly non-severe. However, it’s right on the line and an isolated severe storm isn’t out of the question. There is also the potential for funnel clouds which in rare cases, can lead to a landspout tornado.

Alberta: Thunderstorm Forecast for Monday, June 5, 2023

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Widespread storm activity is expected across Eastern Alberta on Monday. Some of these storms have the potential to reach severe levels with large hail, damaging wind gusts and heavy rainfall. The best chance for storms is right along the Saskatchewan border with storms developing during the late afternoon and evening.

An isolated tornado can’t be ruled out, especially to the northeast of Edmonton around Lac La Biche and St. Paul where the environment is the strongest.

Alberta: Thunderstorm Forecast for Saturday, June 3, 2023

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Thunderstorm activity is possible during the afternoon and evening on Saturday in Eastern Alberta. A few of these storms may reach severe levels with 90 km/h wind gusts and quarter-sized hail mainly in Southeastern Alberta including Medicine Hat and Brooks.

Alberta: Thunderstorm Forecast for Wednesday, May 31, 2023

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There is a slight risk for severe storms in parts of South-central Alberta stretching from Rocky Mountain House through Red Deer and into Lloydminster on Wednesday. Isolated cells are expected to pop up during the afternoon to the northwest of Calgary and track to the east and northeast. These storms could bring threats including 100 km/h wind gusts and toonie-sized hail. An isolated tornado can’t be ruled out either.

While we’ve gone with a slight risk for now, there is the potential we may need to introduce a targeted ‘strong’ severe risk somewhere around the Red Deer, Camrose and Lloydminster area. The environment could be favourable for very large hail up to golf ball sized or even larger. An update to this forecast will come by Wednesday afternoon if we decide to upgrade to a strong severe risk.