Tornado watches end, severe thunderstorm warnings and watches still in effect for southeastern Manitoba

UPDATE: Thunderstorm watch placed on much of southwestern Manitoba

A tornado threat has ended as stormy conditions continue unfolding in parts of southern Manitoba Sunday evening, according to Environment Canada.

In online weather alerts, Environment Canada had issued tornado watches because the weather conditions were looking favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms that could produce tornadoes around Morden, Winkler and Steinbach, Man. In a series of tweets, those tornado watches were lifted, as of 7:15 p.m. Sunday evening.

The weather agency has issued a few severe thunderstorm warnings and several watches that remain in effect in southeastern Manitoba from the international border to as far north as the southern shores of Lake Manitoba and Lake Winnipeg. Manitobans in those areas should be cautious of possible hail, strong winds and heavy rain.

Environment Canada said meteorologists are tracking a line of severe thunderstorms capable of producing quarter to loonie-sized hail, wind gusting more than 90 km/h, and rainfall in excess of 50 mm in some areas. At 8:50 p.m., Doppler radar indicated this line of storms stretched from Emerson to Falcon Lake was moving northeast at approximately 20 km/h.

Severe thunderstorm warnings are still in effect for the southeastern-most pocket of the province. A watch becomes a warning when severe weather is occurring or imminent, according to the agency's website.

Severe thunderstorm warnings in effect for:

• Municipality of Emerson-Franklin, including Roseau River.
• Rural municipality of De Salaberry, including St-Pierre-Jolys and St. Malo.
• RM of Hanover, including Steinbach, Niverville and Grunthal.
• RM of La Broquerie, including Marchand.
• RM of Stuartburn, including Zhoda, Vita and Sundown.
• Buffalo Point Reserve and Northwest Angle Provincial Forest.
• Falcon Lake and West Hawk Lake.
• RM of Reynolds, including Ste. Rita, Hadashville and Rennie.
• Shoal Lake Reserves.
• Municipality of Rhineland, including Altona, Plum Coulee and Gretna.
• RM of Montcalm, including St. Jean Baptiste.

The U.S. National Weather Service in Grands Forks, N.D., held a special weather briefing on Sunday afternoon to discuss the potential for intense conditions including tornadoes, hail, wind and flash floods south of the border around the Red River region.

Tornado outlooks this high are uncommon, typically occurring once a year to every five years, according to the weather service's online briefing.

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