Environment Canada says 'plough wind' tore through Eston, other south Sask. communities
Too early to say if it was a tornado, Environment Canada says
Environment Canada has confirmed it was a "plough wind," not a tornado, that tore through parts of southwest Saskatchewan Sunday night.
Terri Lang, a warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment Canada, was on scene Monday as communities cleaned up after the storm. She said it produced large hail stones and high-speed winds, and lasted roughly 10 minutes.
Environment Canada's website said of plough winds, "these strong, sudden downdrafts bring cool, dense air from aloft, rapidly spreading it outward ahead of the thunderstorm or squall line," and that they "strike a larger area than tornadoes but can be just as strong."
Communities hit by the storm suffered extensive damage.
Eston, in west-central Saskatchewan, was hammered by intense and damaging winds and driving rain.
It's too early to confirm whether or not a tornado had touched down nearby on Sunday evening, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada.
"The damage is terrible, there's airplane hangars blown down, there is houses, roofs off houses, houses blown down," said Shelagh Vance, an Eston resident since 1963.
"It's chaos across the town."
There were winds as fast as 90 kilometres per hour and large hail stones.
"It was just unbelievable. I am still shaking," Vance said on Monday morning.
Mike McDonald, a meteorologist, told CBC that a strong storm was detected around Eston about 7:30 p.m. CST Sunday.
McDonald said there was an indication of rotating winds on the radar but there was no ground confirmation or visual evidence — such as a video — of a tornado.
RCMP had asked the people of the town to stay home or take shelter somewhere safe.
The town activated its emergency operations centre in the town's Full Gospel Church. People who needed assistance or a place to stay the night were asked to take shelter there.
In Facebook updates, the town's page said the electricity in the town would remain off for at least 24 hours, and that was just after 10 p.m. CST Sunday night.
An update will be provided later Monday morning.
Eston is located about 60 kilometres southeast of Kindersley.
