A severe thunderstorm warning was put in place for Lethbridge and surrounding areas Monday morning.
Environment Canada and Climate Change Canada issued the warning around 8:30 a.m.
“We have a low-pressure system moving through Alberta today, which will bring rain and thunderstorms to southern parts of our province. In the Lethbridge and Medicine Hat regions, there is enough convection to support storms becoming severe,” said Tiffany Lizée, chief meteorologist for Global News Calgary.
“The main concern with these storms will be large hail and strong winds.”
The government organization said the thunderstorm is located just northwest of Lethbridge and is moving toward the northeast at 70 km/h.
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“We’ve already had a few cells become severe this morning and they moved quickly,” Lizée added.
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“Normally storms move at about 40 to 50 km/h; these cells were moving northeast at about 70 to 80 km/h.”
On Monday morning, Environment Canada meteorologists said the severe thunderstorm was capable of producing very strong wind gusts, up to nickel-size hail, and heavy rain.
As of 9:36 a.m., severe thunderstorm warnings have been issued for Brooks, Strathmore, Vulcan, Cypress Hills Provincial Park, Foremost, Lethbridge, Taber, Milk River, Medicine Hat, Bow Island and Suffield.
Severe thunderstorm watches are issued when atmospheric conditions are favourable for the development of thunderstorms that could produce one or more of the following: large hail, damaging winds or torrential rainfall.
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