Calgary under severe thunderstorm watch with storms expected across Alberta
A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for a wide swath of central and southern Alberta, including Calgary, with severe weather potential in the cards for today.
According to Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), thunderstorm outlooks from the Storm Prediction Centre are eyeing up thunderstorms across much of Alberta, including for Calgary.
ECCC issued a severe thunderstorm watch just before 11 a.m. Wednesday for YYC along with other heavily populated areas in the province, including Red Deer, High River, Okotoks, Drumheller, Cochrane, Canmore, and Airdrie.
The watch stated that conditions are favourable for the development of dangerous thunderstorms that may be capable of producing damaging wind gusts, damaging hail and heavy rain.
Thunderstorms developing today along the foothills will move eastward through the day, and some of these thunderstorms could become severe.
Severe thunderstorm watches are issued when conditions are favourable for the development of thunderstorms capable of producing damaging hail, wind, or rain.
It’s shaping up to be an active weather day today for Calgary and the surrounding area, with the ECCC thunderstorm outlooks from the Storm Prediction Centre highlighting two moderate risk zones for thunderstorms in the province, with one area covering YYC and extending to the border with Saskatchewan.
ECCC Storm Prediction Centre Edmonton
The main risks for that area include 90 km/h wind gusts and hail up to two centimetres in size.
The second moderate risk zone is located just to the east of Calgary, with risks in that area including wind gusts of 90 to 110 km/h, hail up to five centimetres in size, a tornado, and 25 to 50 mm of rain.
You can view the full list of severe thunderstorm watches issued by ECCC online.