Tornado warnings end as severe storm moves across central Alberta

Tornado warnings that popped up in parts of central Alberta on Thursday afternoon have now come to an end.

An emergency alert issued around 3:15 p.m. Thursday warned of a severe thunderstorm near the communities of Hanna and Richdale that could produce a tornado.

The storm made its way east at approximately 40 km/h and the alerts shortly after 4 p.m. warned of two potential tornadoes near Youngstown and Togo Lake. The warnings were dropped just before 4:30 p.m.

“It’s been a very active day so far,” says Environment Canada meteorologist Brian Proctor. “We haven’t had any reports of anything on the ground, but we are seeing significant rotation on radar.”

The following communities were included in the warnings on Thursday:

• Hanna
• Spondin
• Youngstown
• Sedalia
• Oyen
• Sibbald

Proctor says it’s a bit early for tornadoes in Alberta, but the season has certainly started.

“It typically starts for us as we move into the May and June timeframe,” he says. “It peaks typically in July or early August.”

He says residents living in areas that see active weather should always pay attention to watches and warnings to ensure they stay safe during severe storms.

“It’s an awareness issue, if there’s a watch put out keep your eye on the sky, and if there’s warning take shelter,” he says.

Listen to CityNews 660 for more on this developing story.