Wind warning lifted after southern Alberta slammed with powerful wind gusts

Environment Canada lifted wind warnings on Friday night that had been issued for much of southern Alberta earlier in the week.

At one point, people in southern Alberta were told to prepare for “dangerous wind gusts” packing a punch of up to 150 kilometres per hour.

The wind warning covered almost all of southern Alberta.

For a complete list of weather warnings, watches and advisories in Alberta, click here.

READ MORE: Environment Canada issues snowfall warning for Jasper and Banff

Late Thursday morning, RCMP near Crowsnest Pass said officers were dealing with a number of collisions and high winds. Police said anyone with a large light vehicle or empty semi-tractor trailer should avoid highways 22 and 3 because of “extremely high winds.”

On Thursday afternoon, Alberta Transportation issued a news release that said parts of southwestern Alberta were experiencing wind gusts of up to 160 km/h.

“Commercial vehicles are having difficulty travelling along highways 22 and 3,” the news release said. “RCMP have set up checkpoints at the intersection of highways 22 and 3 near Lundbrook and the intersection of highways 2 and 533 near Nanton to advise larger, light commercial and recreation vehicles not to travel in the area.

“Strong winds are expected for the remainder of today and Friday.”

View photos of Highway 22 on Thursday in the gallery below:

The government also advised drivers travelling in the wind-stricken areas to bring along an emergency road kit.

READ MORE: High winds in southern Alberta leads to RCMP warning

WATCH BELOW: (From Dec. 13, 2018) Strong winds wreaked havoc on the highways in southern Alberta on Thursday leaving many vehicles in the ditch or flipped over. Blake Lough reports.

2:19 Strong winds wreak havoc on southern Alberta highways

Officials warned Alberta residents to take the wind warnings seriously.

“Buildings under construction risk extreme damage,” Environment Canada said. “High winds may cause downed trees or toss loose objects. Store or anchor objects so they are not tossed by the wind causing injury or damage.

“Drivers may lose control of their vehicles; tall vehicles are at high risk of being overturned.”

Powerful wind gusts also battered parts of Alberta on Sunday. The top confirmed wind speed that day was 181 km/h, reported north of Lundbreck.

To report severe weather, send an email to ABstorm@canada.ca or tweet reports using #ABStorm.

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