Landspout tornado risk in northern Alberta on Thursday afternoon

Showers and thunderstorms in northern Alberta may spawn brief landspout tornadoes on Thursday

Folks throughout portions of northeastern Alberta should monitor the potential for landspout tornadoes through Thursday afternoon.

Showers and thunderstorms spiralling through the region will encounter favourable conditions for funnel clouds which may extend to the ground as brief landspout tornadoes.

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Alberta thunderstorm forecast Thursday

A slow-moving trough swinging through Alberta is providing the instability for non-severe thunderstorms to bubble up across much of the region.

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) issued a tornado watch for the region through Thursday afternoon, which covers communities north and west of Lloydminster, including Vermilion, Saint Paul, and Bonnyville.

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“Funnel clouds in this area have been reported to be very close to the ground,” ECCC said in its watch. The agency added: “It is possible that funnel clouds may touch the ground and become a brief landspout tornado.”

Folks in the region should remain alert for rapidly changing conditions, and prepare to take immediate shelter if a funnel cloud leads to a touchdown nearby.

Stay with The Weather Network for all the latest on conditions across Alberta.

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