Calgary

Weak tornado confirmed south of Okotoks, weather officials say

The afternoon storm that swept over southern Alberta on Monday afternoon spawned a weak tornado near Okotoks. 

No reports of damage connected to estimated EF-0 twister

Storm clouds build over a sunflower field in southern Alberta in July of 2022.
Storm clouds build over a sunflower field in southern Alberta in July of 2022. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press)

The afternoon thunderstorm that swept over southern Alberta on Monday afternoon spawned a weak tornado near Okotoks. 

Environment Canada says the estimated EF-0 twister was seen around 2:45 p.m. south of the city, which is roughly 20 kilometres south of Calgary.

So far, there have been no reports of damage, weather officials said in a weather summary.

The storm also brought hail and powerful winds to parts of southern Alberta. 

Gusts over 110 km/h were reported in Tide Lake and Sheerness. Ping-Pong ball-sized hailstones fell in Okotoks and Calgary, officials said. 

The confirmation of the weak tornado comes less than three weeks after an EF-4 tornado touched down in a rural area north of Calgary, where it destroyed several homes. No one was seriously hurt. 

The July 1 tornado was the most powerful one to have touched down in Alberta since the deadly "Black Friday" tornado that struck Edmonton in 1987. 

The strength of a tornado is determined by the damage it produces. EF-0 is the weakest on the enhanced Fujita scale.