Environment and Climate Change Canada is investigating at least eight likely tornadoes that touched down across southeastern Saskatchewan on Thursday, marking one of the more active severe weather days in recent memory for the region.
“It was a very busy day for severe weather across southern Saskatchewan, especially that southeastern corner of the province,” said Christy Climenhaga, a scientist with Environment and Climate Change Canada. “We did see the right dynamics for tornadoes and reports of multiple tornadoes through the area.”
Among the suspected tornadoes under investigation are two near Weyburn, as well as reports of touchdowns near Odessa and southwest of Davin. Preliminary data shows one reported at 5:05 p.m. near Davin and another near Odessa at 5:52 p.m.
While many residents may identify a tornado by sight, the confirmation process is far more detailed. “You have to look at the meteorological situation, the radar at the time of the tornado, the exact location, and reports if there was any damage,” Climenhaga explained. “All of that goes into the reporting and confirming process.”
The tornadoes will eventually be rated using the Enhanced Fujita, or EF, scale, which is based on the extent of damage rather than direct wind measurements. “From that ranking, we can infer the wind speed,” she added. “So, when you see an EF0, that’s when we are looking at lower damage.”
After the chaos of Thursday’s storms, the focus now turns to a soggy weekend for Weyburn and the surrounding areas. Early forecasts had suggested up to 50 millimetres of rain on Friday, but updated models have scaled that back to between 15 and 30 millimetres, according to Climenhaga.
“Locally higher amounts are possible, of course, but that’s the risk we’re looking at for now.”
While Saturday will see the bulk of the rain, more precipitation is expected to return Sunday with another impulse of moisture from the south.
“Unfortunately, poor timing if you are planning outdoor activities this weekend,” Climenhaga noted, adding that things should start to improve into next week, with warmer and drier conditions returning by the end of the week.
You can stay up to date with the latest forecast details on the Discover Weyburn Weather page.