Alberta forecast to see risk of thunderstorms with golf ball-sized hail today
It’s shaping up to be an unsettled day for many parts of Alberta today, with some areas at risk of seeing thunderstorms that could drop some large hail.
According to Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), thunderstorm outlooks from the Storm Prediction Centre show large chunks of Alberta at risk of potentially seeing some thunderstorm activity today, June 30.
There are two moderate weather risk spots for the province, including the strongest in northwestern Alberta. Weather risks in that area include wind gusts of up to 90 kilometres an hour, with thunderstorms that could bring hail up to four centimetres in size, the equivalent of a golf ball. Around 25 to 50 millimetres of rain may also fall due to a storm.
The second moderate weather risk is slightly in central Alberta, down to the southeastern border with Montana and Saskatchewan, with key areas included being Red Deer, Medicine Hat, and barely outside of Calgary. The risks there include wind gusts up to 90 kilometres an hour, hail up to 2.5 centimetres in size, and 20 to 30 millimetres of rain.
Elsewhere in the province, a risk of seeing wind gusts up to 70 kilometres an hour, hail up to one centimetre in size, and 20 millimetres of rain blankets many areas, including Edmonton, Lloydminster, Hinton, Jasper, Banff, Calgary, and Lethbridge.
ECCC Storm Prediction Centre
Turning to the overnight hours to Canada Day morning, things will be calmer with just portions of northwestern Alberta at risk of seeing wind gusts of up to 70 kilometres an hour and up to 30 millimetres of rain.
ECCC Storm Prediction Centre
It may be a stormy Canada Day for parades in some parts of Alberta, with two sections under a moderate weather risk tomorrow.
An area around High Level could see thunderstorms that may produce wind gusts up to 80 kilometres an hour, hail up to 2.5 centimetres in size, and up to 50 millimetres of rain. A second moderate risk zone stretches through the central Foothills down to nearly the Saskatchewan border, with populated areas such as Edson and Red Deer under the gun to potentially see thunderstorms that may produce wind gusts up to 70 kilometres an hour, and hail up to 2.5 centimetres in size.
ECCC Storm Prediction Centre
Elsewhere in the province, a risk of seeing wind gusts up to 70 kilometres an hour, hail up to one centimetre in size, and 20 millimetres of rain blankets many areas, including Edmonton, Peace River, Grande Prairie, Lloydminster, Hinton, Calgary, and Medicine Hat.
You can check for any current weather watches and warnings on the ECCC website.