Severe hailstorm disrupts traffic on Highway 1 west of Regina
Environment Canada warns severe hailstorms may move through southeast Saskatchewan on Friday
Traffic along Highway 1 west of Moose Jaw slowed to a crawl Friday morning after the area was hit with a load of hail.
The deluge, brought on by two storm systems moving eastward, initially led to a tornado warning from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). That warning has now been rescinded, but ECCC is still warning of further hail in southeast Saskatchewan later today.
"What we're seeing this morning is already a lot of active weather, including one severe cell that popped up to the south of the Chaplin area," Christy Climenhaga, a scientist with ECCC, said on Friday.
"There's some more weaker thunderstorms popping up here and there around southwestern Saskatchewan, but the better chance of severe storms with large hail expected to the southeast as we make our way through the afternoon."
The weather service is warning of wind gusts up to 90 kilometres an hour and hail the size of toonies for areas near Estevan and Cowessess First Nation.
"It's likely going to be an active afternoon," Climenhaga said.
"Warnings can pop up quickly and they can change quickly. If you are headed outside and you do see a thunderstorm or hear thunder, or there's a severe thunderstorm warning in effect for your area, you do want to take shelter immediately inside."