More storms expected for Calgary area a day after tornado warning
Environment Canada says severe thunderstorms a normal pattern for summer
It doesn't appear any tornadoes touched down in the Calgary area Sunday night, says Environment Canada, which issued a warning at about 9:40 p.m.
"We had some conversations with WestJet dispatchers at the Calgary airport as well as one of our techs was out in the Langdon area yesterday calling in some reports," said Blaine Lowry, a warning preparedness meteorologist with the agency.
"That combined with the formation of some of the storms on radar is likely what led to that tornado warning."
He said the storms moved in off the Foothills and were focused on an area stretching from north Calgary to Strathmore, with toonie and golf-ball size hail falling in some areas.
The tornado warning was issued around 9:40 p.m. and ended 14 minutes later, according to Lowry.
Despite the cloudless skies over Calgary on Monday morning, Lowry says the area isn't in the clear just yet.
"There is the potential for more thunderstorm activity in the region today," he said.
"Tomorrow looks like there's storm potential as well, possibly a little bit more to the north of Calgary, and then looks like it might quiet down for a few days."
Lowry says they don't have data at the moment to analyze whether storm activity this year is unusual, but he did say the massive hailstorm that caused extensive damage in northeast Calgary on June 13 was a bit early in the season.
"These severe thunderstorms are part and parcel of a summer in Alberta, and people just need to be aware and be prepared as best as they can," he said.