Throughout Thursday afternoon, residents of central Alberta were placed under a variety of storm watches and warnings, due to a heavy storm that prompted a tornado southwest of Edmonton.
By 3 p.m. Thursday, much of central and northern Alberta was placed under a variety of severe thunderstorm watches and warnings, including tornado watches.
Just after 5 p.m., a tornado warning was issued for Brazeau County near Drayton Valley and Breton – and at about 5:30 p.m., Environment Canada confirmed a tornado had been reported about 5 kilometres northwest of Breton.
That specific alert ended at about 6 p.m.
By 8:30 p.m. Thursday, many of the warnings had been downgraded to watches, and only one tornado watch remained in effect, that one for the Bonnyville – St. Paul – Cold Lake – Lac La Biche region.
Three severe thunderstorm warnings remained in place at that time:
- Fort McMurray – MacKay
- Fort Saskatchewan – Vegreville – Redwater – Smoky Lake
- Leduc – Camrose – Wetaskiwin – Tofield
- Lloydminster – Wainwright – Vermilion – Provost
Meanwhile, Environment Canada had eight severe thunderstorm watches in place for parts of the following regions:
- City of Edmonton – St. Albert – Sherwood Park
- Drayton Valley – Devon – Rimbey – Pigeon Lake
- Fort McMurray – Fort McKay
- Fort Saskatchewan – Vegreville – Redwater – Smoky Lake
- Leduc – Camrose – Wetaskiwin – Tofield
- Lloydminster – Wainwright –Vermilion – Provost
- Red Deer – Ponoka – Innisfail – Stettler
- Rocky Mountain House - Caroline
CTV Edmonton meteorologist Josh Classen said Thursday afternoon that a watch indicates the possibility of severe weather hitting that area, while a warning means the weather system is imminent or occurring.
