Funnel cloud advisories issued near US border

Environment Canada issued funnel cloud advisories in southern Saskatchewan, near the U.S. border, Thursday evening.

The weather office says conditions are favourable for the development of funnel clouds around Assiniboia, Gravelbourg, Coronach, Estevan, Weyburn, Radville and Milestone.

I think this may be a classic wee funnel cloud. Looking south from Signal Hill in Weyburn around 5:10pm. Then looking west. #skstorm #funnelcloud #landspout #LandofLivingSkies #clouds @ryanwunsch @TornadoGreg @ForbesRicky pic.twitter.com/pKXBv7NFj7

— Angie J (@Burrless) July 4, 2019

Around 5:30 p.m., meteorologist Robyn Dyck said they were tracking funnel clouds in near Weyburn.

However, she said these kinds of funnel clouds are triggered by weak thunderstorms and are normally not a danger near the ground.

“These are the types of thunderstorms that are usually only in the daytime, so as it gets cooler and into the evening, (the storms) will weaken quite quickly,” Dyck said.

Because the thunderstorms are not in a high-energy area, she said Environment Canada is not expecting them to become organized or severe in nature.

“(The storms) will probably bring out a little bit of rain, maybe some small hail, then the funnel cloud — and then it’ll become more outflow dominant, so they’ll have some wind and then die out,” Dyck explained.

However, she noted there is a slight chance this rotation could intensify and become a weak landspout tornado.

“There’s always a chance they can touch down, but because it is so weak … they wouldn’t last long and there wouldn’t be any strong wind or damage associated with that,” she said.

Dyck said thunderstorm activity and the threat of funnel clouds is expected taper off early Thursday evening as it cools down.