Hazardous eastern Prairies storm setup primed with tornado, large hail risk
All the ingredients are coming together for another volatile day of severe thunderstorms over parts of the Prairies on Sunday, including a renewed threat for tornadoes and damaging hail
After a stormy Saturday that saw tornado warnings issued across parts of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, a potentially more impactful event is taking shape for similar regions on Sunday.
There is a threat of a few tornadoes and potentially destructive hail. Take some time to ensure you have emergency supplies and a plan in place in case severe weather threatens your location.
RELATED: Tornado warning safety: Here’s what you should do
Severe weather threat builds again Sunday
The main event arrives during the day Sunday, when we’ll see ample instability, strong, upper-level winds, rich moisture, and a trigger to spawn storms all line up through the afternoon and evening hours.
As a result, severe thunderstorms are likely across southern portions of Saskatchewan and Manitoba. This will be a more widespread risk than we saw on Saturday.
Sunday’s strongest storms will be capable of producing very large hail, damaging winds, and a few tornadoes. Some of the hail could approach the size of baseballs.
Localized flooding is also possible where thunderstorms repeatedly move over the same areas.
Through Sunday overnight and the pre-dawn hours of Monday, thunderstorms are likely to become linear as they slowly track eastward and weaken in intensity.
Regina is in the risk for severe thunderstorms, but Winnipeg will likely escape thunderstorm activity until the early-morning hours on Monday. By then, they should be significantly weaker.
Severe weather safety is paramount
Pay close attention to rapidly changing weather conditions in your area through the day Sunday. For tips on what to do in case a tornado warning is issued, click here.
Scout out a safe place to take shelter in your home well before storms approach your location. The safest place is an interior room on the lowest level of the building. The goal is to put as many walls as possible between you and flying debris.
If you’re in a vehicle and a tornado warning is issued, pull over at the nearest sturdy shelter. Never try to outrun a tornado.
Residents in impacted areas are urged to keep cell phones charged ahead of the storm in case of any power disruptions or outages to receive weather alerts (click here to see how to turn on alert notifications from The Weather Network app).
Stay with The Weather Network for all the latest on conditions across the Prairies.