It was another weekend of active weather across east-central Saskatchewan, with multiple funnel clouds reported and Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) currently investigating a possible tornado near Humboldt.
Jason Knight, a meteorologist with ECCC, confirmed on Monday that a specific weather event at approximately 4:06 p.m. on Saturday near Humboldt is under review.
"We're still investigating one event near Humboldt Upper," Knight said. "That’s the one where we’ve seen some impressive photographs, and we’re still trying to determine whether there was a touchdown."
This latest storm activity follows a string of similar events over recent weekends in the region. Knight explained the atmospheric setup that has been contributing to the recurring severe weather patterns.
"It's a broad area of low pressure that’s been moving through, and embedded above it are what we call short waves – upper-level disturbances," he said. "It’s similar to when a figure skater pulls in their arms and spins faster. These disturbances cause columns of air to stretch upward and spin, leading to funnel cloud formation. If those funnels reach the ground, even briefly, they’re classified as tornadoes."
Knight emphasized that these tornadoes tend to form quickly, often with little warning. "They’re typically very brief and weak in intensity, but if they make contact with the ground, they still qualify as tornadoes," he said.
The region saw a flurry of funnel cloud reports between 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, with sightings as far west as Delisle and several in the Humboldt area, including a pronounced formation near Burr, particularly around 2:30 and 4:00 p.m. In total, seven funnel cloud reports were received.
Elsewhere in the province, the weather brought a mix of rainfall. "It was a fairly rainy day in the north and west," said Knight. "Humboldt only saw a couple of millimetres, but North Battleford received up to 32 mm over the weekend, and Saskatoon and Prince Albert saw around 20 mm. More southern areas missed out on sustained rain."
Looking ahead, the province is set for a stretch of hot weather, with increasing temperatures and the potential for more severe conditions later in the week.
"We’re looking at a high of about 26°C today," Knight noted. "But the heat is going to build steadily, and we should be back to around 30°C by Wednesday and Thursday. It’s starting to look like late Wednesday or Thursday could bring another severe weather outbreak."
Environment and Climate Change Canada continues to monitor the situation and will provide updates as investigations into Saturday’s event progress.