Storms, damaging hail threatens Alberta ahead of major cooldown
Fall-like temperatures arrive in Alberta this week with days of instability and active weather
A stationary boundary over the Rockies is continuing to trigger severe storms across Alberta through Tuesday afternoon and evening.
The storm threat will span from Grand Prairie all the way to the international border, including Edmonton, Red Deer, Calgary, Claresholm, Okotoks, and Lethbridge.
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Heavy rainfall and large hail are the main threats with these storms and could impact commutes along the QE2, so be sure to keep an eye on the radar and local weather alerts through the afternoon.
Several rounds of storms expected Tuesday across Alberta
Storms are forecast to kick off on Tuesday afternoon along the foothills in several waves tracking east into and through the evening.
Damaging hail up to Ping-Pong ball size could come with some of the stronger storms, along with heavy rainfall.
Folks travelling along the QE2 for the evening commute could be impacted by some of the stormy weather. We could also see flight delays out of the Calgary airport.
Upper-level wildfire smoke will play a wildcard factor in Tuesday's forecast, however, as it could suppress some of the storm development and severity.
Major temperature drop and chance for high elevation snow
Looking ahead, temperatures are set to drop significantly as another wet system moves in, bringing heavy rainfall later this week.
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A surface trough developing over B.C. and Alberta will enhance precipitation across the Rockies.
Southern regions of the province could also see between 30 and 50 mm of rainfall through the end of the week.
By Thursday, temperatures are forecast to fall 9–12°C below seasonal norms due to a northerly flow, as well as persistent rain and cloud cover. In fact, Calgary is forecast to reach a daytime high of only 15°C on Wednesday!
Freezing levels will also drop to approximately 2,400 m, resulting in snowfall at higher elevations.
Residents should prepare for rapidly changing weather conditions this week and monitor any further updates or alerts.