Destructive winds topple trees, grain bins on the Prairies

Monday, October 12, 2015, 2:12 PM - Thanksgiving weekend was a blustery one for many across the Prairies, thanks to punishing winds that toppled trees and small structures.

A low pressure system moved through Alberta and Saskatchewan, triggering multiple wind warnings and while the conditions have died down in both provinces, powerful winds continue to blow in southern Manitoba.

Wind warnings were issued in parts of that province, but were dropped around 1 p.m. local time Monday. Gusts reached a reported 94 km/h in places like Winnipeg, meanwhile, maximum wind gusts hit 100 km/h in the town of Gretna in south-central Manitoba.

There are currently no wind warnings in effect region-wide, as conditions improve.

Manitoba is forecast to see calm and sunny conditions Tuesday, with a high of 15^oC for Winnipeg. The winds are expected to accompany the low as the system tracks through northwestern Ontario Tuesday, however, they will not be as strong.

Elsewhere on the Prairies, wind gusts of up to 100 km/h were recorded in spots Sunday, enough to knock over grain bins and other light structures in Saskatchewan and Alberta.

Edmonton itself was under a wind warning Sunday, but that only means the winds were strong enough to exceed Environment Canada's warning criteria.

Areas that were not covered by a warning, such as Calgary, also saw stronger than normal winds, and some trees were down in that city also, as well as areas that were warned.

In Saskatchewan, widespread wind damage was reported, along with power outages.

A peak wind gust of 120 km/h was recorded in the city of Swift Current, where numerous trees were reported down.

Trees were also reported down in several other cities. In Regina, which was under a wind warning, the scaffolding on a building undergoing renovation was dislodged and left dangling (according to CBC). 

Saskatoon, which was not included in the warnings, also felt the winds' sting.

On the highways, people tweeted pictures of trucks knocked down by the winds.

SOURCE: Weather Network | Environment Canada | CBC News