A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for Edmonton | Daily Hive

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Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for Edmonton and the surrounding area, saying conditions are favourable for the development of severe storms that could produce strong wind gusts, large hail, and heavy rain.

The thunderstorms are expected to hit the city on Friday afternoon and evening, ECCC says.

The alert is in effect for Edmonton, Sherwood Park, and St. Albert.

“Severe thunderstorm watches are issued when atmospheric conditions are favourable for the development of thunderstorms that could produce one or more of the following: large hail, damaging winds, torrential rainfall,” ECCC says.

It’s shaping up to be an active day weather-wise across the province, with the risk of storms that could produce large hail and an isolated tornado developing across Alberta.

Environment and Climate Change Canada’s (ECCC) Thunderstorm Outlook Potential says Friday is looking to be active across portions of central and southern Alberta; however, it will be “rather complex.”

Another day of thunderstorms across central Alberta is forecast. Keep your eye to the sky and make sure to have a safe place to shelter if a storm rolls through this afternoon. Here is today’s thunderstorm outlook. #ABStorm #ABWx pic.twitter.com/bOpWsXIj7u

— ECCC Weather Alberta (@ECCCWeatherAB) June 14, 2024

The ECCC says in its outlook that it’s expected that cloud cover and strong capping will stop thunderstorms from developing early on until “at least the late morning into the early afternoon hours, at which time cloud cover will thin from west to east.”

When that happens, convective temperatures will be reached and the surface low comes into play, storms will develop, and any storms that do appear will “likely have large hail and strong winds associated with it,” with an isolated tornado not being ruled out.

Hail up to five centimetres in size is possible, with wind speeds of up to 90 km/h.

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With files from Laine Mitchell