'The thunder was super loud': Thundersnow surprises residents in southeast Sask.

Thunder and lightning aren't exactly uncommon in Carnduff, Sask. However, it is unusual to see it in the middle of a snow storm — in March.

Mike Fowler was sitting at home, watching the snow fall on Sunday afternoon when he heard something odd. An earth-shattering boom ripped through the air.

Suddenly, a huge flash of light lit up the sky. 

"It was almost like sheet lightning," he said. "It was like somebody flipped a light on for a second and shut it off, basically."

As soon as he heard the commotion, he jumped out of his seat to record the action on his phone. It lasted for roughly half an hour.

"The thunder was super loud," he said. "It was just a weird storm all around."

Weird storm

According to Environment and Climate Change Canada, roughly 100 lightning strikes were reported in southeast Saskatchewan on Sunday afternoon, with more in Manitoba and North Dakota.

"It's an unusual [phenomenon]," said meteorologist Terri Lang. "We usually see it down in the United States or in eastern Canada. It's rare on the Prairies, especially in early March."

Lang said the thunderstorms formed in the central U.S., in warm moist air, and then 'rode' north on top of the storm system, carried like a conveyor belt.

"They travelled a fair distance," she said. "It's a pretty amazing phenomenon, especially so early in the year."

Usually, thunderstorms aren't seen in Saskatchewan until May.

The area received approximately 15 centimetres of snow on Sunday.

Carnduff is located 247 kilometres southeast of Regina.