Environment Canada issued severe thunderstorm warnings for parts of central and northern Alberta Friday afternoon and by evening, warnings had been issued for some parts of southern Alberta as well.
Just before 3 p.m., the weather agency issued a warning for people near Cadomin, Robb, Hinton and Obed Lake Provincial Park in Yellowhead County. It said its meteorologists were tracking a storm system that could create powerful wind gusts, nickel-size hail and torrential rainfall.
That warning was downgraded to a severe thunderstorm watch by about 4:15 p.m.
People were being asked to take precautions if flash flooding occurs and to remember severe thunderstorms can result in tornadoes.
READ MORE: ‘Dangerous’ tornado warning ends, threat remains for Alberta, Sask.
Just after 4 p.m., Environment Canada also issued a severe thunderstorm warning for people near Nordegg, Big Horn Reserve and Chungo Creek in Clearwater County as well as for the M.D. of Lesser Slave River near Marten Beach.
Meteorologists said the Lesser Slave River thunderstorm was located about 40 kilometres north of Slave Lake and was “nearly stationary.”
Just before 5:30 p.m., Environment Canada said the storm was approaching the M.D. of Big Lakes near Enilda and Joussard.
By 6:40 p.m., the weather agency dropped its severe thunderstorm warnings in the Slave Lake area.
Just after 5:30 p.m., Environment Canada issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the O’Chiese 203 Reserve and for Clearwater County near the Sunchild Cree Reserve.
The weather agency dropped the warning for the O’Chiese 203 Reserve and for the Sunchild Cree Reserve just before 8:30 p.m.
A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for the M.D. of Greenview near O’Brien Provincial Park and Big Mountain Creek just before 8:30 p.m. Meteorologists tracking that storm said it was located between 20 kilometres south of Grande Prairie to 60 kilometres south of Grande Prairie and was nearly stationary.
Just after 8:30 p.m., the weather agency issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the M.D. of Foothills near Longview and Eden Valley Reserve as well as the M.D. of Foothills near Turner Valley and Black Diamond. By 10:15 p.m., those warnings had been dropped.
Environment Canada says it issues severe thunderstorm warnings when “imminent or occurring thunderstorms are likely to produce or are producing” large hail, destructive winds, or heavy rainfall.
Areas under a severe thunderstorm warning as of 10:15 p.m. Friday:
Grande Prairie – Beaverlodge – Valleyview
Nordegg – Forestry Trunk Road Highway 734
Areas under a severe thunderstorm watch as of 10:15 p.m. Friday:
Hinton – Grande Cache
Parts of northern Alberta, including Fort McMurray and Grande Prairie, have seen significant flood recently.
READ MORE: Mother Nature deals Fort McMurray another blow, this time in the form of flooding
Watch below: The Alberta government issued an emergency alert for the city of Grande Prairie Tuesday evening after torrential rainfall triggered flash flooding in parts of the city. Nancy Carlson and Margeaux Morin have the details.
To report severe weather, send an email to storm@ec.gc.ca or tweet reports to #ABStorm.
Want your weather on the go? Download the free Global News’ Skytracker weather app for iPhone and Android.