Risk of severe thunderstorms across southern Manitoba Friday night

WINNIPEG– Severe thunderstorm watches were issued by Environment Canada for much of southern Manitoba early Friday afternoon ahead of a storm system that could bring heavy downpours, strong winds and large hail.

The thunderstorm outlook released by Environment Canada indicated a severe risk of severe weather across most of southern Manitoba as a low pressure system will be moving across the eastern prairies starting early in the afternoon in Saskatchewan.

The storm will likely arrive in southern Manitoba in the early evening hours. The greatest risk this system poses to western Manitoba is golf ball size hail and winds 90-120 km/h. While there is a risk or tornado activity, it is mainly in Saskatchewan where there is a greater chance of supercell development. By the time the system gets into Manitoba, it will likely change into a long line of storms that could produce hail and strong wind gusts.

Friday afternoon, tornado watches were issued by Environment Canada for parts of Saskatchewan and extend into Manitoba. They are for southwestern Manitoba up to Dauphin and East to, but not including, Portage la Prairie.

As the system continues to track across Manitoba, the severity of the storms will slowly diminish especially to the northeast.

There remains a chance of severe weather by the time the storms get to the Red River Valley area but the conditions will be different than areas further West. Hail and strong winds are a possibility but loonie size hail and winds up to 90 km/h.

Environment Canada released a summary of the thunderstorm activity Thursday night in Saskatchewan which saw nickel and golf ball sized hail reported in Hershel and Milden. Wind gusts were also reported at over 90 km/h in Last Moutain Lake and Coronach.

Here are some tweets of the storm damage thunderstorm activity in Saskatchewan Thursday night.