Severe thunderstorms target Alberta again Tuesday with large hail and tornado risk
Some areas of Alberta, including the Edmonton region, could be in for another round of severe thunderstorms today, with forecasters warning conditions may be favourable for very large hail, damaging winds, and even the possibility of a tornado.
According to Environment and Climate Change Canada’s (ECCC) Storm Prediction Centre, much of central and northern Alberta is at risk of severe thunderstorms on Tuesday, July 28, as a frontal system moves across the province.
The area facing the greatest threat stretches from west of Edmonton toward Edson and north of the city, with Edmonton sitting along the southern edge of the highest-risk zone.
If storms develop, they could produce wind gusts of up to 110 km/h, hail as large as 6 cm in diameter, about the size of a tennis ball, and between 50 and 70 mm of rain. Forecasters also say a tornado can’t be ruled out if conditions come together.
ECCC
ECCC said the atmosphere is expected to be particularly favourable for supercell thunderstorms this afternoon before they move east through the evening.
For those in the Edmonton area, rainfall totals could reach up to 70 mm in some locations, once again raising the risk of localized flooding, with the ground already so saturated.
Communities surrounding the highest-risk area could also see severe weather, including wind gusts up to 110 km/h, hail up to 4 cm in diameter, and as much as 30 mm of rain.
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Farther out, a large region that includes High Level, Grande Prairie, Jasper, Red Deer and Banff remains under a lower, but still notable, severe thunderstorm risk. Those areas could see wind gusts up to 90 km/h, hail up to 2.5 cm in diameter and around 25 mm of rain.
The severe weather threat is expected to shift east into Saskatchewan later Tuesday evening, while heavy rainfall may continue across parts of northern Alberta overnight. Although widespread rainfall amounts of 20 to 30 mm are forecast, some weather models suggest isolated areas could receive well over 50 mm.
You can check for the latest weather watches and warnings on Environment and Climate Change Canada’s website.