Tornado spotted near Ferintosh as watch issued for funnel clouds, weak twisters in central Alberta

A tornado touched down in central Alberta Monday afternoon a few hours before a watch for such weather occurrences was issued for that part of the province.

Environment and Climate Change Canada confirmed a tornado touched down at approximately 1:45 p.m. near Ferintosh, which is southeast of Wetaskiwin.

The agency said there were no reports of any damage so far but an investigation is underway.

Amanda Wolfe said she was sitting in her living room in Edberg texting with her niece, sending photos back and forth.

She went outside to get some photos of the funnel and “there was one right there.”

“It was just, I’m going to say, a couple blocks over… just on the outskirts of Edberg,” Wolfe said. “I didn’t think it was super scary. I thought it was kind of cool.”

She described the funnel as slower moving and very large.

“There is a house that did get hit and there’s some damage to the house.”

Wolfe said the weather was stormy in the afternoon – a bit of rain, some thunder and lightning – but nothing out of the ordinary.

“It just hit just like that and now it’s sunny as can be.”

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Matt Reber was working just outside Edberg when the twister appeared, initially looking like a dust devil.

“It just looks like dirt swirling around and then it kind of grew really fast,” he said.

Reber remarked on how unusual the tornado was: he estimates he was standing a few hundred metres away and the sky was sunny and conditions were relatively mild outside of the tornado itself.

“It was as calm as could be 250 metres away,” he said, adding the twister then hit a neighbour’s house.

The tornado watch was issued just before 3:30 p.m. for a swath of central Alberta, where Environment Canada said conditions are favourable for the development of funnel clouds and possibly brief, weak tornadoes on Monday.

Strong winds, large hail and heavy rain are also possible, the national weather agency said.

“A developing low over central to northern Alberta is kicking off potentially heavy rains and thunderstorm from Monday to Tuesday,” said Global Edmonton weather specialist Phil Darlington.

“Along with the chance for some of the storms to produce large hail, strong winds, and heavy rain, there is also a possibility for funnel clouds to develop and produce some weak tornadoes.”

As of 3:30 p.m., the watch was in effect for an area between Edmonton and Red Deer, from the middle of the province east to the Saskatchewan border.

It included communities such as Leduc, Camrose, Wetaskiwin, Tofield, Lloydminster, Wainwright, Vermilion and Provost, as well as the surrounding rural areas.

The watch ended about four hours later.

The potential for tornadoes will exist until early Monday evening, Environment Canada said, adding people in central Alberta should be prepared for severe weather and take cover immediately if threatening weather approaches.

“The chance for funnel cloud and tornado development will diminish Monday evening, though rain and some storms are expected to stick around into Tuesday,” Darlington added.

In the event of a tornado, or if a tornado warning is issued for your area, Environment Canada recommends the following actions:

• Go indoors to a room on the lowest floor, away from outside walls and windows, such as a basement, bathroom, stairwell or interior closet.
• Leave mobile homes, vehicles, tents, trailers and other temporary or free-standing shelter, and move to a strong building if you can.
• As a last resort, lie in a low spot and protect your head from flying debris. Lightning kills and injures Canadians every year. Remember, when thunder roars, go indoors!

Tornado watches are issued when atmospheric conditions are favourable for the development of thunderstorms that could produce tornadoes.