Tornadoes and heat batter Canadian Prairies

The Canadian Prairies endured a weekend of extreme weather, with tornadoes touching down and a severe heat wave gripping the region. On Saturday evening, a tornado was sighted near the Alberta-Saskatchewan border, prompting a brief tornado warning from Environment Canada for the County of Vermilion River.

This event marks a significant increase in tornado activity for Alberta, with 24 recorded so far this year, a more than 50% rise compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, Manitoba also faced the threat of severe thunderstorms capable of producing tornadoes, along with damaging winds and large hail.

The extreme weather follows a record-breaking Friday for Saskatchewan, which recorded 10 tornadoes. These events are occurring as a prolonged heat wave settles over southern Saskatchewan and Manitoba, with humidex values expected to reach the mid-40s in some areas, leading to widespread heat warnings.

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We had 10 reports of tornadoes in Saskatchewan yesterday.