2 tornadoes touched down in Rocky Mountain House, Environment Canada confirms

Two tornadoes touched down in Rocky Mountain House and Clearwater County, central Alberta, on Saturday, July 18, Environment Canada confirmed Wednesday after researchers surveyed the storm damage. The national weather agency collaborated with the Northern Tornadoes Project (NTP), which dispatched a team to the site. The twisters uprooted trees, snapped them in half, and tore roofs off buildings, scattering debris across properties.

The first tornado touched down south of Rocky Mountain House at 6:18 p.m., damaging homes, barns, outbuildings, garages, vehicles, and trees. Eighteen minutes later, at 6:36 p.m., a second tornado touched down east of town, traveling about five kilometers into Clearwater County toward Leslieville and damaging several properties. Locals reported golf ball-sized hail during the severe storms that evening.

Environment Canada classified both tornadoes as EF2 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, indicating estimated maximum wind speeds of 190 km/h. While no human injuries were reported, two animals were injured by the second twister. The storms also caused heavy rain and flooding in the Edmonton region. Alberta has recorded 27 tornadoes this year, a more than 50 percent increase compared to previous years, according to the NTP.