A number of communities across central and southwestern Manitoba are now under a severe thunderstorm watch as weather conditions turn unstable this afternoon. Environment Canada is warning that some storms may pack a serious punch with damaging winds, large hail and torrential rain.
Residents in municipalities including North Cypress–Langford, North Norfolk, Norfolk Treherne, Victoria, Rosedale, Glenella–Lansdowne, and WestLake–Gladstone are advised to stay weather-aware as storms develop across the region.
Storms developing along a low-pressure trough
The trigger for the unsettled weather is a trough of low pressure moving in from Saskatchewan.
Thunderstorms are already forming in parts of southeastern Saskatchewan and western Manitoba, and forecasters say some of these could intensify to severe levels.
According to Environment Canada, the threats from these storms are significant.
What to expect: hail, wind and heavy rain
Among the potential hazards are hailstones up to the size of golf balls, wind gusts reaching 90 kilometres per hour, and rainfall rates of 50 to 70 millimetres per hour.
Environment Canada says these elements can pose real dangers.
“Strong wind gusts can damage trees, buildings and overturn vehicles,” the agency notes.
“Large hail can cause significant damage and injury,” it adds.
“Heavy rain can cause flash flooding and significant reductions to visibility,” it continues.
Lightning is also a concern, with the advisory reminding residents that “lightning kills and injures Canadians every year.”
Watch versus warning: what it means
A thunderstorm watch means that conditions are right for storms to become severe, but it’s not a guarantee. Environment Canada issues a warning if severe weather is imminent or already occurring.
The current watch covers the following areas:
- Municipality of North Cypress–Langford, including Neepawa and Carberry
- Municipality of North Norfolk, including MacGregor, Sidney and Austin
- Municipality of Norfolk Treherne
- Rural Municipality of Victoria, including Holland and Cypress River
- Rural Municipality of Rosedale, including Eden and Kelwood
- Municipality of Glenella–Lansdowne, including Arden and Tenby
- Municipality of WestLake–Gladstone, including Plumas and Langruth
Conditions expected to ease by late evening
The threat of severe weather is expected to ease later in the evening as the system moves out of the area. Until then, residents are urged to keep a close eye on the skies and monitor Environment Canada alerts.
Environment Canada mentions, “Severe thunderstorm watches are issued when conditions are favourable for the development of thunderstorms capable of producing damaging hail, wind or rain.”
To report severe weather, the public is encouraged to email MBstorm@ec.gc.ca, call 1-800-239-0484, or post updates on social media using #MBStorm.
Forecast for Tuesday
Expect clouds this afternoon. Winds will come from the southeast at 20 km/h, pushing temperatures up to a high of 26 degrees Celsius, with a humidex reaching 32. The UV index is high at 7, so sun protection is recommended.
Tonight, skies will turn cloudy with periods of rain starting early in the evening, and there’s a risk of thunderstorms.
Rainfall amounts are expected to be between 10 and 15 millimeters. Winds will remain southeast at 20 km/h early on but will lighten after midnight, with lows dropping to around 18 degrees.
Sign up to get the latest local news headlines delivered directly to your inbox every afternoon.
Send your news tips, story ideas, pictures, and videos to news@portageonline.com.
PortageOnline encourages you to get your news directly from your trusted source by bookmarking this page and downloading the PortageOnline app.
