Saskatchewan has seen a total of 14 tornadoes so far in 2016, according to Environment Canada.
That’s below the average number of 18 the province normally sees in a year.
READ MORE: Tornado destroys home near Melville, Sask.
The most recent twister confirmed was a landspout tornado that touched down around 6 p.m. near Melfort on August 26.
In 2015, there were only two reported tornadoes in Saskatchewan.
The low numbers may have been in part due to the smoke that blanketed much of the region, keeping conditions cooler and less potent for storm development during the normal peak of severe weather season in July.
In 2012, 33 twisters were reported in the province.
READ MORE: Tornado destroys farm south of Saskatoon
Of the 14 tornadoes so far in 2016, exactly half of them were landspout tornadoes and the other half were supercell tornadoes.
Landspout tornadoes are generally weaker and shorter-lived that form when a rotating horizontal tube of air in a cloud gets tilted vertically by the updraft in a thunderstorm or cumulus cloud.
Landspouts can cause damage and carry winds in excess of 200 kilometres per hour.
The strongest and most destructive tornadoes form from rotating storms known as supercell thunderstorms.
They are frequently seen in the United States, but also occur in Saskatchewan during summer severe weather season.
In addition, over 100 funnel clouds have been reported to Environment Canada so far this year.
READ MORE: What to do when you spot a funnel cloud
Here’s the full list of 2016 tornadoes in Saskatchewan:
- May 21 – 8 kilometres south of Kincaid
- June 19 – 10 kilometres west of Naicam
- June 19 – Naicam
- July 1 – 26 kilometres west of Biggar
- July 7 – 8 kilometres south-southeast of Estevan
- July 10 – Herbert
- July 19 – west of Davidson
- July 23 – Sturgis
- July 31 – Fenwood
- July 31 – Leech Lake
- July 31 – Rokeby
- August 3 – 11 kilometres northeast of Bethune
- August 3 – north of Rhein
- August 26 – near Melfort
For the latest weather alerts download the Global News Skytracker weather app for iPhone, iPad or Android.
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