Tornado watch issued for northeast of Edmonton Saturday afternoon

A tornado watch was issued for parts of St Paul, Lac La Biche, Bonnyville and Smoky Lake counties at 3:19 p.m. Saturday.

“Conditions are favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms, which may produce tornadoes,” Environment Canada said.

St Paul County is about 200 kilometres northeast of Edmonton.

At 3:35 p.m., Alberta Emergency Alert said: “a rotating severe thunderstorm that is possibly producing a tornado is located 20 kilometres northeast of Smoky Lake, moving northeast at 60 km/h” and advised people to take shelter immediately.

Click here to see the latest watches and warnings from the weather agency.

A tornado warning was issued for Lamont County (near Andrew, Wostok, Bruderheim, Lamont, Peno Creek, Mundare, Chipman) at 2:45 p.m. Saturday.

Environment Canada said “meteorologists are tracking a severe thunderstorm that is possibly producing a tornado. Damaging winds, large hail and locally intense rainfall are also possible.

“This severe thunderstorm is located near Hilliard and is moving northeast at 50 km/h. This is a dangerous and potentially life-threatening situation. Take cover immediately if threatening weather approaches. If you hear a roaring sound, see a funnel cloud, swirling debris near the ground, or flying debris, or any threatening weather approaching, take shelter immediately.”

Lamont County is about 90 kilometres northeast of Edmonton.

The tornado warning was extended to the Smoky Lake County area near Vilna Saddle Lake and Whitefish Lake at 3:07 p.m. Saturday.

The weather agency issues tornado warnings when “imminent or occurring thunderstorms are likely to produce or are producing tornadoes.”

Severe thunderstorm watches were also issued late Saturday morning for parts of east central and southern Alberta due to an active day of weather expected.

By 11 a.m., Environment Canada put watches in place for areas around Leduc, Fort Saskatchewan, Athabasca, Slave Lake and Lac La Biche, as well as Lethbridge, Cypress Hills and Medicine Hat.

“Conditions are favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms that may be capable of producing strong wind gusts, large hail and heavy rain,” Environment Canada said.

READ MORE: Heat warning issued for much of Alberta

“An area of showers and thunderstorms are forecast to develop through portions of central Alberta this afternoon then move to the northeast. These thunderstorms will continue into the evening hours.

“Remember, severe thunderstorms can produce tornadoes. Be prepared for severe weather. Take cover immediately if threatening weather approaches.”

READ MORE: American storm chasers in Alberta ahead of ‘potential outbreak of tornadic supercells’

The potential for severe weather in Alberta this weekend has drawn American storm chasers to north of the border in hopes of getting in on the action.

“We’re going to have a lot of dynamics tomorrow afternoon and evening,” Reed Timmer, a meteorologist and storm chaser with AccuWeather, said Friday.

Timmer said he and his crew will target the areas east and northeast of Edmonton on Saturday afternoon “for a potential outbreak of even tornadic supercells.”

Watch below: A couple of extreme weather experts have arrived in Alberta to chase some storms. Reed Timmer and Braydon Morisseau join Kent Morrison to talk super cells, adrenaline and keeping the public informed.

You can follow Timmer and the Prairie Storm Chasers on social media.

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