Threat of "slow moving" thunderstorms with hail west of Calgary today

Today is shaping up to potentially be an active weather day for portions of western Alberta, including near Calgary, with a moderate risk of thunderstorms in the forecast.

According to the thunderstorm outlook from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), today runs a moderate risk for thunderstorms that could drop up to grape-sized hailstones, 80 kilometre-an-hour winds, and 30-50 millimetres of rain.

“Thunderstorms in the foothills will move very slowly today; those in the east will move eastward in the evening,” ECCC added in a post on X.

The summer #ABstorm hazards continue in AB! These are bad enough on their own, but there are areas where they overlap, so #staysafe out there! Thunderstorms in the foothills will move very slowly today; those in the east will move eastward in the evening. https://t.co/cNiO0zkArR pic.twitter.com/tcwpXroPL0

— ECCC Weather Alberta (@ECCCWeatherAB) July 18, 2024

“Pulse storms are more likely to develop in the later afternoon hours and persist into the late evening,” ECCC added in its thunderstorm outlook, with hail up to four centimetres possible for the foothills.

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Heat warnings remain in effect for most of Alberta today, with the exception of the mountain parks and extending into the Rocky region, where overnight lows look to give some relief overnight from the hot daytime temperatures.