Kevin Laliberte
Editor, Smoky River Express

Last week’s deluge of heavy rain, hail and intense lightning in Edmonton and other parts of central Alberta serves as a reminder to Albertans about the dangers of severe weather season here in Alberta. The call for awareness falls on the heels of a significant storm system which nailed the Edmonton area in mid-June, dumping more than 50 millimetres of rain in a span of just over an hour. The storm in central Alberta near St. Albert packed a significant punch, bringing with it hail, lightning and even a small tornado before heading on a southerly course. Warning Preparedness Meteorologist Dan Kulak of Environment Canada says the return of severe summer weather season is something we all need to be cognizant of. “The weather can change in the blink of an eye at this time of the year,” he says, adding that it’s important for people to stay on top of the weather at all times and have an appropriate response plan ready before severe weather hits. That much was evident in the summer of 2007, when residents on the Prairies, including those in the Smoky River region, witnessed a record number of severe summer weather warnings, with tornadoes, heavy rainfall, wind storms, intense lightning and hail storms. And this year could, should and likely will bring much of the same. “It can happen anywhere at any time,” Kulak adds. Helping Canadians protect themselves, their families, and their property from the hazards of severe weather is an important part of Environment Canada's mandate. Alerting the public when such weather is expected to occur enables people to take precautionary action. The department issues warnings, watches and special statements through the media for severe weather conditions, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, storm surges, strong winds, high heat or humidity, heavy rain or snow, blizzards, freezing rain and extreme cold. Environment Canada officials say the best way to protect yourself against injury and death during the severe weather season is by expecting the unexpected and closely monitoring television and radio weather bulletins at all times. That holds especially true for campers at this time of year, many of whom are often caught off guard by the rapid advancement of summer storm systems. Canada’s “tornado alleys” are located in southern Ontario, Alberta, southeastern Quebec and a band stretching from southern Saskatchewan and Manitoba to Thunder Bay with the months of June and July being the prime time in terms of tornado occurrences. When a tornado threatens you should seek immediate shelter in a basement or under a stairway, avoiding windows, doorways and exterior halls. Environment Canada recommends that you stay away from mobile homes and vehicles, which are more susceptible to damaging winds. Albertans are asked to familiarize themselves with the differences between the meaning of meteorological terms such as “weather watches and warnings.” A “Thunderstorm Watch or Tornado Watch” means there is the potential for severe thunderstorms or tornadoes to occur in a specific area while a “Thunderstorm Warning or Tornado Warning” means a thunderstorm or tornado is imminent or confirmed in a specific area. For more information on ways to prepare for severe summer weather log on to the Internet at: www.ec.gc.ca.

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