Loud Thunder In Regina - Lightning Storm July 11, 2012

Coffee at Atlantis was extra awakening this morning as an intense lightning and thunder storm grew over the city of Regina. Close lightning overhead echoed around the SaskPower building seen across the street facing south. This storm continued to grow into the afternoon eventually soaking the city of Yorkton causing major flooding in the downtown there.

Today's Risk Map

Severe thunderstorms are likely for the City of Regina and most of eastern Saskatchewan. Storms should fire up early today before noon and slowly progress into Manitoba tonight. Main concern will be intense lightning, hail, heavy down pours and flash flooding. Last night, Saskatoon got a wild light show with the local detector peaking at 341 strikes per minute.

Wide Spread Risk Area For Storms (map) / Humidex Advisories

Update: Hail is not likely at all but heavy down pours are as air aloft is above freezing levels at 15k feet according to PSPC.

Severe thunderstorm watches have been issued for several areas this afternoon, including south east BC, Fort Simpson in the North West Territories, north central Alberta and western Saskatchewan. With the extreme heat and low surface winds, storms are expected to be slow movers, heavy down pours, flash flooding and intense lightning producers. Once the maximum heating is reached today, thing may change into the evening and we will update the situation as it happens. Night time cooling could cause some very large storms to emerge in any of these areas. Keep cool and pay attention to updated watches and warnings.

Also, be aware of the humidex advisory for central Saskatchewan, including Lloydminster, Saskatoon, Yorkton as the humidex will reach over 40C today. North Battleford, Regina, Estevan could all be included in the advisory as well as values are already hitting 37C at noon.

Environment Canada Special Weather Statements
Environment Canada Watches and Warnings

June 26, 2012 Tornado Screen Captures

Playing around with the levels and lightning after grabbing screen captures from Tuesday, June 26th tornado west of Moose Jaw. You can actually see in some of these screen captures that the hail was literally going straight across, right in front of my face! 

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The blur in the above photo is hail whipping across my nose at 150 km/hr! 

Let me know which version you like and prints may be eventually made available!

3 New Videos!

Since it seems that things often tend to come in threes, here is the yet unseen footage of the 3 days before the tornado. From Cypress Hills, Alberta and our encounter with high winds, fog and antelope, to the supercell of Oyen to core punching Kindersley. Then off to Saskatoon and chasing Tuesday morning from Deifenbaker Lake and the beginning of the tornadic supercell at Hodgeville, Saskatchewan.

Again, excitement is building today as Tornado Tuesday, part 3 is becoming a reality. Forecast models are suggesting another outbreak of severe weather over Saskatchewan for the 3rd Tuesday in a row! So far we are two for two on Tuesdays as this past week Greg Johnson and company caught the tornado near Deifenbaker Lake on his live stream at tornadohunter.ca 

Check out my partner Gunjan Shadow Hunter's YouTube channel as he continues to upload incredible footage from all of these chase days with spectacular timelapse photography set to awe inspiring musical scores!