WAKAW, Sask. — A tornado warning was issued Wednesday night for central Saskatchewan, prompting cellphones from Cudworth to Rosthern and Wakaw to sound with the alert at 8:51 p.m.
Environment Canada said a tornado warning is issued when a funnel has either formed or been detected on weather radar, while a watch means conditions are favourable for one to develop.
By 9 p.m., the skies over Wakaw Lake were lit by constant lightning as thunder rolled across the prairie. Heavy rain began falling shortly before 10 p.m.
On social media, many residents tracked the storm’s progress as it moved from Aberdeen toward Wakaw Lake, with radar showing the most intense part moving east-northeast from Highways 41 and 20. A user identifying as Sīkwan Swan on X said they saw the tornado from Saskatoon’s Brighton neighbourhood.
For most people from Saskatoon to Prince Albert, the lightning dominated the evening with bolts flashing seconds apart.
Environment Canada downgraded the tornado warning to a severe thunderstorm warning around 10:15 p.m. The tornado warning remained in effect for parts of the R.M. of Kingsley, including Kipling, as well as Langenburg.
Radar images posted under the #SKStorm hashtag showed strong winds and hail, with some users reporting gusts over 100 km/h. No reports of damage had been confirmed late Wednesday night.
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