VIDEO: Funnel clouds spotted over Saskatoon as Environment Canada warns of severe storms

Residents of central and southern Saskatchewan will want to keep an eye on the sky on Monday, as Environment Canada says conditions are right for tornadoes and severe thunderstorms.

The weather service issued a tornado watch on Monday for part of central Saskatchewan, including Saskatoon, Warman, Martensville and the surrounding areas.

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Environment Canada meteorologist Terri Lang said those under the tornado watch can expect, “thunder showers and because of how unstable the air is, it’s possible to get funnel clouds forming,” which already began happening by the early afternoon.

For the most part, these clouds don’t touch the ground but it’s possible.

“If they do, we refer to them as landspout tornadoes. They tend to be a little bit weaker and a little bit shorter lived than its counterpart. However, they’re still dangerous and they can still cause damage,” Lang said.

CKOM listener Beth Winfield spotted this funnel cloud over the city around 1 p.m. (Beth Winfield/Submitted)

A special weather statement warning about funnel clouds extended west of Saskatoon to the Alberta border, but the southwestern corner of the province was not included in the warning area.

Multiple funnel clouds were spotted over Saskatoon on Monday.

Meanwhile, a severe thunderstorm watch covered southern and southeastern Saskatchewan, reaching from Humboldt south to the U.S. border and east to Manitoba, including Regina, Moose Jaw, Weyburn and Estevan.

“Conditions are favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms that may be capable of producing strong wind gusts, large hail and heavy rain,” Environment Canada said.

“A trough of low pressure over western Saskatchewan will lead to scattered thunderstorms this afternoon.”

If a tornado warning is issued, or if a tornado is spotted, Environment Canada said to seek shelter indoors immediately on the lowest floor, away from exterior walls or windows.

“Leave mobile homes, vehicles, tents, trailers and other temporary or free-standing shelter, and move to a strong building if you can. As a last resort, lie in a low spot and protect your head from flying debris,” the weather service advised.

“If you hear a roaring sound or see a funnel cloud, swirling debris near the ground, flying debris, or any threatening weather approaching, take cover immediately.”

According to Lang, these alerts will end tonight.

“Once the sun goes down, a lot of the energy is lost. So, usually in the early evening, the watches tend to come down,” she said.

June has been an active month for tornadoes in Saskatchewan. On June 9, a farmyard in Alameda was destroyed by the strongest twister the province has seen in more than a decade.

The Northern Tornadoes Project, a research group based at Western University, assigned the tornado a preliminary rating of EF3 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, which can have wind speeds from 225-265 kilometres per hour.

The last tornado in the province to receive a similar rating destroyed homes on Kawacatoose First Nation on July 2, 2010.

The latest updates on the weather alerts can be found on Environment Canada’s website.

– with files from 980 CJME’s Gillian Massie and 650 CKOM’s Marija Robinson