MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY – Environment and Climate Change Canada issued a severe weather watch for Mountain View County and nearby urban centres Thursday afternoon.
“Thunderstorms have developed over the foothills this afternoon,” the federal agency’s 2:09 p.m. Aug. 7 weather alert for the area said. “A few of these thunderstorms may become severe producing large hail, damaging winds, and heavy rainfall. Damage to roofs, fences, branches or soft shelters is possible. Be prepared for severe weather.”
Included in the watch is Mountain View County near Sundre, Carstairs, Cremona, Water Valley, Didsbury and Olds.
Red Deer County is not included in the weather alert.
A watch is issued when conditions are favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms with one or more of the following conditions:
• Wind gusts of 90 kilometres an hour (km/h) or greater, which could cause structural wind damage;
• Hail of 2.5 centimetres (cm) or larger in diameter; or
• Heavy rainfall
If threatening weather approaches, the federal agency advises to take cover in a basement or interior room.
If outside, the federal agency says to protect yourself from flying debris and hail and if there’s thunder, go indoors. Lightning kills and injures Canadians every year.
