Severe thunderstorms target Alberta Friday with huge hail and tornado risk
Much of Alberta could be kicking off the weekend with the threat of severe thunderstorms, with some areas even seeing the risk of huge hail and a tornado.
According to Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), thunderstorm outlooks from the Storm Prediction Centre say that there are two areas at moderate risk today for large hail, with one area also bringing the risk of a tornado forming.
One moderate risk area in Alberta for Friday, July 18 encompasses some heavily populated areas in the province, with the Edson, Red Deer, and Calgary regions all under the gun for the threat of wind gusts up to 90 km/h, hail up to five centimetres in size, and rainfall in the 20 to 50 millimetre range.
The moderate risk zone that includes the possibility of a tornado forming is confined to a section of southern Alberta, with wind gusts of up to 110 km/h and hail up to six centimetres in size. That’s about the size of a pool ball.
A minor risk zone is also present in western and portions of northern Alberta, with areas like Waterton, Banff, and Jasper National Park as well as Grande Prairie and Edmonton potentially seeing thunderstorms with wind gusts of up to 70 km/h, hail up to two centimetres in size, and 25 millimetres of rain.
ECCC Storm Prediction Centre Edmonton
Switching to the thunderstorm threat in Alberta tonight, storms will die down with just sections of central and southern at risk of seing wind gusts up to 60 km/h and 25 millimetres of rain.
ECCC Storm Prediction Centre Edmonton
Taking a look at the seven-day forecast for Edmonton and Calgary, both cities are set to see plenty of showers, especially in Alberta’s capital. Not the most ideal weather for the first few days of KDays celebrations!
Edmonton
Environment and Climate Change Canada
Calgary
Environment and Climate Change Canada
You can view the full ECCC thunderstorm outlook online.