At 6:19 a.m. today, Environment Canada issued a weather advisory for communities in the Battlefords, Unity, and St.Walburg areas. According to the advisory, conditions are favourable for the development of funnel clouds today, due to a low pressure system moving over Western Saskatchewan. Scattered thunderstorm development is expected around noon, which will lead to the favourable conditions.
The types of funnel clouds expected are generated by weak rotation under rapidly 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. 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.
The communities affected are as follows:
- R.M. of Battle River including Sweet Grass Res. and Delmas
- R.M. of Britannia including Hillmond
- R.M. of Buffalo including Wilkie and Phippen
- R.M. of Cut Knife including Cut Knife
- R.M. of Douglas including Speers Richard and Alticane
- R.M. of Eldon including Maidstone and Waseca
- R.M. of Frenchman Butte including St. Walburg
- R.M. of Glenside north of Biggar
- R.M. of Hillsdale including Neilburg and Baldwinton
- R.M. of Manitou Lake including Marsden
- R.M. of Mayfield including Maymont Denholm and Fielding
- R.M. of Medstead including Medstead Belbutte and Birch Lake
- R.M. of Meota including Meota and The Battlefords Prov. Park
- R.M. of Mervin including Turtleford Mervin and Spruce Lake
- R.M. of North Battleford northwest of The Battlefords
- R.M. of Parkdale including Glaslyn and Fairholme
- R.M. of Paynton including Paynton
- R.M. of Round Hill including Rabbit Lake and Whitkow
- R.M. of Round Valley including Unity
- R.M. of Senlac including Senlac
- R.M. of Turtle River including Edam and Vawn
- R.M. of Wilton including Lashburn Marshall and Lone Rock
- The Battlefords