After already confirming a tornado touched down near Breton, Alta. on Thursday, Environment Canada has confirmed a second tornado touched down on the same day near Athabasca, Alta.
“On July 13, a low pressure system moved through central Alberta triggering widespread thunderstorms, many of which became severe,” the weather agency said in its summary of the storm posted to its website on Friday evening.
According to Environment Canada the first tornado touched down about 10 kilometres northwest of Breton at about 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. They gave it a preliminary rating of EF-1 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, which ranges from the weakest (EF-0) to the strongest (EF-5). The twister’s estimated wind speed was between 135 km/h to 175 km/h.
READ MORE: Tornado touches down near Breton, Alberta Thursday night
On Friday morning, Environment Canada said it received a report of a second tornado that touched down the same afternoon as the Breton one. It was spotted at 5:56 p.m. over an open field near Athabasca and the weather agency confirmed it did touch down.
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“The Prairie and Arctic Storm Prediction Centre (PASPC) has so far received no reports of damage; therefore, this tornado has been given a preliminary rating of EF-0,” Environment Canada said of the Athabasca tornado.
The PASPC is asking for anyone with photos or videos of either tornado and the damage they caused to contact them by calling 1-800-239-0484 or emailing ec.storm.ec@canada.ca.
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Below is Environment Canada’s summary of wind gusts and damage reported in various areas hit by the storm:
Summary of wind gusts and/or damage reported:
-Pleasant View: peak wind of 115 km/h at 7:10 p.m.
-Kinikinik: peak wind of 101 km/h at 7:28 p.m.
-Two Hills: wind gusts to 89 km/h
-St. Paul: peak wind of 93 km/h at 9 p.m., trees blown down
-Edmonton: tree limbs broken, shingles blown off
-Waskatenau: multiple trees blown down
-Gibbons: trees blown down
-Lac la Biche: trees blown down, peak wind of 65 km/h around 8 p.m.
Many areas also saw very large hail come down. In St. Paul, baseball-sized hail was later measured at seven centimetres.
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