Severe threat shifts to Manitoba after tornado outbreak
theweathernetwork.com
Saturday, July 14, 2018, 2:01 PM - After a hyperactive week featuring hail the size of tennis balls and at least 9 tornado touchdowns in Saskatchewan alone, the risk for severe weather continues for the Prairies through the weekend. Another upper level low sweeping out of the Rockies sparked large hail and damaging winds on Friday, and while that low is lifting north through the central Prairies, a cold front developing at the surface will serve as the focal point for yet another round of severe weather Saturday and Sunday.
We highlight where the risk arises and what kind of severe weather is likely, below.
(IN PHOTOS: 110 km/h gusts, snapped trees in Prairie storms)
WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS:
- Strong storms for Saturday in Manitoba
- Large hail, strong to damaging winds, and torrential rains likely; isolated tornadoes possible
- Front cutting into northern Ontario overnight into Sunday; heat eases
WATCH BELOW: ROUGH TIMING FOR SATURDAY STORMS
SATURDAY - STORMS SHIFT EAST
The severe weather threat will spread east this weekend as our upper low barrels into northern Saskatchewan and central Manitoba. Widespread rain will accompany the low in the north, with 30 to 80 mm of rain forecast in parts of northern Saskatchewan and northwestern Manitoba.
The explosive action happens further south, however, as a cold front cuts through southern Manitoba, igniting strong thunderstorms as it goes.
The main threat from these storm cells is expected to be torrential rainfall and strong winds, but very large hail is also quite possible. The threat for an isolated tornado is lower, but cannot be ruled out entirely, particularly in the region east of Lake Winnipeg. Storms along the southern end of the front - through southern Manitoba and crossing over into northwestern Ontario - are likely to die down through the overnight hours, while heavy rain and frequent lightning continue closer to Hudson Bay.
For Sunday, the front - and similarly, the focus for thunderstorms - will be moving through northern Ontario. With a lot of the system's energy and moisture depleted, Sunday's storms are less likely severe, although spots that do see storms stand to get 15 to 25 mm of rain. One thing the front will do for northwestern Ontario on Sunday is cut through the heat and humidity - heat warnings should come to an end by Sunday night.
