What you need to know to stay safe outdoors in twister season

Storm clouds build over a highway in southern Alberta near the town of Carstairs on Monday, July 4, 2016. (Jeff McIntosh)

Sunday was the anniversary of the tornado that killed 12 people at a campground southeast of Red Deer.

The F3 tornado was one of the worst natural disasters in Alberta's history, bringing with it almost 300-kilometre winds and leaving a 20-kilometre long trail of destruction.

• 'A miracle': 20 years after deadly tornado Alberta family thankful for survival 
• 'I got blown right out of my shoes': 20 years later, Lethbridge man recalls deadly Pine Lake tornado 

More than 1,000 people were at the Green Acres Campground at Pine Lake on July 14, 2000. A dozen were killed and more than 100 others were injured.

Survivors described baseball-sized hail, green skies, and people being ripped out of trailers and crushed by vehicles carried in the wind.

With Alberta currently in the peak of tornado season, which runs May through September, here is what you need to know if you're out camping and caught in a severe storm.

RCMP officers and victims services volunteers escort a couple to their trailer on July 19, 2000. This was the first day tornado survivors were allowed to return to their campsites at the Green Acres campground after a tornado tore through. (Jeff McIntosh)

Warning signs

In 2023, the Northern Tornado Project recorded a total of 19 tornadoes in Alberta – including an EF4 tornado that touched down and caused considerable damage near Carstairs on Canada Day. 

According to the Alberta government, tornadoes most often come from the south or the west and are more likely to form in the late afternoon and early evening. 

Environment Canada said an extremely dark sky with green or yellow clouds, and a rumbling or whistling sound, can also indicate that a thunderstorm may have produced a tornado.

A funnel cloud appears northwest of Didsbury, Alta. in July 2022. (Source: Braydon Morisseau/Prairie Storm Chasers).Because twisters are hard to see from a distance, and not all have a visible funnel cloud, it's important for travellers to stay alert when the weather turns poor.

Travellers can keep up to date on current weather conditions and alerts by calling 511, tuning into local radio or downloading the Alberta Emergency Alert app.

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Seek shelter

If you know extreme weather is approaching, the province said you should leave the area and find a solid building to take cover in.

If you're driving, it is possible to avoid a far-away tornado by moving away from its path at right angles. However, you should never try to outrun a nearby tornado.

If you are caught in an extreme wind storm or tornado while driving, the Alberta government said you should not take shelter under a bridge or overpass where wind speeds are increased.

If you are at a campsite, don't take shelter in a mobile home or car, as they can be carried or tossed in high winds.

Instead, if there is no solid building in the area, take cover in a ditch or other low-lying area away from any vehicles. Then cover your head to protect it from debris and hail, be aware of flooding from heavy rain and be ready to move.

For more information on how to stay safe during a tornado, wherever you are, visit the Government of Alberta website.

With files from CTV News Lethbridge's Terry Vogt and The Canadian Press' Bill Graveland