Tornado watches in effect in eastern Saskatchewan

Environment Canada issued tornado warnings and watches Tuesday afternoon for areas of eastern Saskatchewan.

At around 4:45 p.m., the weather service upgraded watches it had earlier issued to warnings for areas around Kamsack, Canora, Preeceville, Yorkton, Melville and Esterhazy. The warning ended around 5:45 p.m.

“The Doppler radar is indicating that the storm is rotating, which is the first indication that it’s possible that it could produce a tornado. This is in a watch area that we’ve been watching all day,” Environment Canada’s Terri Lang said.

She said there’s been a lot of moisture in the area, heat generating the thunderstorm and some wind shear in the atmosphere that helps the storm rotate.

She said when a warning is issued, it’s important that people take shelter.

“It’s time to hit the basement, get into those interior rooms and really take action,” Lang said.

Tornado watches remained in effect for regions around Carlyle, Oxbow, Carnduff, Bienfait, Stoughton, Moosomin, Grenfell, Kipling and Wawota.

“Isolated to scattered thunderstorms are expected to develop later this afternoon over southeastern Saskatchewan and southwestern Manitoba,” the alert said. “Some of these thunderstorms may produce a tornado.”

Lang said this time of the year isn’t known for producing tornadoes.

“It’s quite late in the year. Generally the most active time for tornadoes in Saskatchewan is end of June and through the month of July so we’re really pushing it late,” Lang said.

Environment Canada also issued severe thunderstorm watches for areas around Hudson Bay and Porcupine Plain.

She said the storms could last into the evening so people should continue to monitor for warnings.

For more information, visit the Environment Canada alerts page.