Alberta: Thunderstorm Forecast for Tuesday, May 16, 2023

Isolated pop-up storms are possible in Extreme Southern Alberta (near the US border) and along the Rockies during the afternoon and early evening on Tuesday. These storms should be pretty weak with small hail and a few lightning strikes being the main threats. However, the environment is favourable for the development of funnel clouds. In rare cases, these funnel clouds may touch down and become a landspout. We’ve highlighted the highest potential for landspouts with an ‘isolated’ severe risk on the map.

Landspout: A landspout is a type of tornado that forms under a weak thunderstorm. Unlike traditional tornadoes, which develop from supercell thunderstorms and are associated with a rotating updraft called a mesocyclone, landspouts form from non-supercell storms and do not have a mesocyclone. These tornadoes are generally weaker and shorter-lived than their supercell counterparts but can still pose a threat to property and life, with wind speeds occasionally reaching up to 160 km/h.