Funnel cloud advisories issued for east-central Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan has seen a few tornadoes so far this season, and more could be on the way on Thursday.

Funnel cloud advisories from Environment Canada went into effect on Thursday morning across large parts of east-central Saskatchewan, including Canora, Kamsack, Melville, Wadena, Wynyard and Yorkton.

While the areas north and east of Regina were covered by the advisory, the Queen City – which is preparing for a Saskatchewan Roughriders game at Mosaic Stadium on Thursday evening – was not.

The advisory means conditions are favourable for funnel clouds to form. According to Environment Canada, the types of funnel clouds that could pop up on Thursday are generated by weak air rotation under growing clouds or weak thunderstorms.

“This weak rotation is normally not a danger near the ground. However, there is a chance that this rotation could intensify and become a weak landspout tornado,” the weather service said in a statement.

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“Landspout tornadoes do not usually cause significant damage but can still be dangerous. They can be strong enough to topple trees, damage roofs or toss debris short distances.”

If conditions become more favourable, the advisories will be upgraded to watches and warnings, Environment Canada noted.

“Treat any funnel cloud sighting seriously. Should a funnel cloud develop nearby, prepare to take shelter. These funnel clouds usually appear with little or no warning.”

Several storms and tornadoes have caused damage to yards and crops this season in Saskatchewan. According to the Northern Tornadoes Project, six tornadoes formed in Saskatchewan and Manitoba during storms on June 12.

The latest on the weather alerts can be found on Environment Canada’s website.