As temperatures sore into the 90s and 100s across the U.S. Great Plains by mid-summer, the strong storm systems responsible for severe weather over the Plains track northward into Canada as the jet stream migrates north of the border. Typically by July 1, deep tropical moisture has migrated as far north as the Canadian Prairies, aided by evapotranspiration from thriving corn crops to the south of the U.S. Corn Belt. This moisture and instability, along with strong storm systems embedded in the upper jet stream set the stage for severe weather over the Canadian Prairies including the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Given the low population density and very small number of storm spotters, many tornadoes go unreported in Canada, resulting in an underestimation of the true number of seasonal tornadoes in the Canadian Prairies. Since the jet stream often resides over Canada for a relatively long time during the summer, I would not be surprised if the Canadian tornado season rivals that of the U.S. Great Plains.
This year, TVN will be departing for Canada as early as this Thursday, and we plan to chase tornadoes from Alberta to Manitoba for at least a few weeks. We'll have the tornado probe along with us so hopefully we can get some slow movers and successful deployments. I'll be updating the blog on a regular basis as we continue to chase the Canadian tornado season!...
In conclusion, check out this video of a tornado that touched down in Ontario, Canada a few days ago!
I am flying into Canada on the 14th July will be at Calgary, packed my camera kit!
I am now watching the skies and going to play safe.
If I get anything, it will come here
Rich
Posted by: richard | June 24, 2008 at 08:51 AM
You'll be in Calgary for the primetime tornado season up there Rich! Great idea in packing the camera - while the tornado potential near Calgary is very low, they almost always get thunderstorms and supercells rolling off the mountains on a daily basis. If you see a beat-up, hail dented truck with the TVN logo on the side please stop and say hello!
Posted by: Reedq | June 24, 2008 at 10:45 AM
If I see your truck I will definately stop and say hi
You can spot me as I will be the Brit driving on the wrong side of the road looking bewildered.
Rich
Posted by: richard | June 24, 2008 at 02:15 PM
I've lived in Calgary my whole life and while I've seen some awesome thunderstorms, I've never seen a tornado near the city (much to my sadness). Usually the QE2 highway between Calgary and Red Deer has the best storms, around Olds and Pine Lake. If I'm in Edmonton for school, Calgary gets the stormy weather. When I'm home for the summer, Edmonton gets it. I usually end up living vicariously through TVN and your daily chases online, heh.
If you guys have time to visit the Calgary Stampede while you're here, I highly suggest it. Take in the rodeo or the chuckwagon races, too.
Posted by: Diana | June 25, 2008 at 12:50 AM
I heard there is suppose to be a F5 or bigger come through south western manitoba within the week has anyone heard anything about that?
Posted by: kelly | July 16, 2008 at 09:59 PM
So far the storm season has been really bad in Alberta. Hopefully things start to heat up and hopefully we will get some supercells developing. With a tornado touched down on Thursday, June 25th, near Provost, Alberta, the storm chasing season has truly started!
Posted by: Laurence | June 26, 2009 at 01:39 PM