.jpg)
After a weekend that saw Saskatchewan hammered by severe thunderstorms, hail and at least three suspected tornadoes, another unsettled stretch of prairie weather is expected to bring more rainfall and thunderstorms to the West Central region this week.
Environment Canada says Monday will bring a round of non-severe thunderstorms to much of the province, as a cold front moves through southern Manitoba. While the main energy is staying south of the border, forecasters say the air mass left behind remains unstable and could lead to scattered pop-up thunderstorms across Saskatchewan throughout the day and evening.
The week follows a volatile weekend of storm activity across the province.
On Friday, thunderstorms erupted in West Central Saskatchewan with reports of a possible tornado touching down near Coleville around 6 p.m. Environment Canada has not yet confirmed the twister. On Saturday, another suspected tornado was spotted near Hepburn and Hague, north of Saskatoon.
Sunday’s storm activity shifted south, trailing along the international border and bringing more severe weather to the region.
Despite the rainfall, the wildfire risk remains a concern due to lingering dry grass. A grass fire was reported south of Kindersley shortly before noon on Sunday. On Friday, at 6:59 p.m., Macklin Fire Department responded to a bale fire believed to be caused by lightning. Then at 9:20 p.m., the same crew was dispatched to assist Provost Fire Department with a large fire at an oil facility, which may have also been ignited by lightning.
Showers and periods of rain are expected to continue through the week in parts of Saskatchewan, offering much-needed moisture — but also the potential for more stormy conditions.