Roaring thunderstorms, heavy hail and wild winds were seen in several parts of the province.

The storm shut down Taste of Edmonton just before 5 p.m. and people attending K-Days were encouraged to seek shelter inside the Edmonton Expo Centre or Northlands Park.

Shortly after 5:30 p.m., people at K-Days were meandering back into the midway as the heavy downpour turned into a drizzle.

At Insterstellar Rodeo Edmonoton, the outdoor music festival was temporarily shut down around 6 p.m. and attendees were asked to stay beneath tthe canopy in the Heritage Amphitheatre.

The severe weather also suspended service on the LRT between Southgate and Century Park stations.

Environment Canada issued severe thunderstorm watches for Edmonton and parts of central Alberta late Friday morning, and some were upgraded as the day progressed.

People took to social media to share what they observed when the storm rolled in,

CTV Edmonton's metrologist Josh Classen said there’s a chance the severe storms could develop to the south and southwest of Edmonton, before tracking east-northeast and growing in intensity. 

Environment Canada also issued rainfall warnings for parts of northwest Alberta.