Canada

Second big storm in a week shakes southwestern Manitoba with hail, rain and strong wind

People in southwestern Manitoba are cleaning up again after a strong storm broke out in the area on Thursday night – the second in less than a week.

In Binskart, large chunks of hail – some the size of baseballs, according to Environment Canada – smashed windows and also damaged buildings and cars on Thursday night.

“He was bouncing down the lawn like a lawn and hitting the ground, and that was in a good five minutes,” said Darcy Kovalchuk, a teacher in the town near the Saskatchewan border.

“He blew big holes in our siding on the north side of our house and pulled out a window, dormers and a camper.”

Hours after the hailstorm passed, Kovalchuk said another storm had occurred, pouring rain.

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– @ DarcyKowalchuk

Thursday’s storm in southwestern Manitoba also prompted Environment Canada to issue a tornado warning shortly before 9:30 p.m.

The Russell-Binskart area was hit by a thunderstorm with a supercell, said meteorologist Kyle Fouger.

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– @ DarcyKowalchuk

“The supercellular thunderstorm is different from the normal one in that it has a rotating upward current,” he said on Friday. “When the upward flow rotates, it has an extra lift and can sustain a really big hailstorm.”

The agency is investigating a possible tornado sighting in the area, but has not yet been confirmed.

The area also had winds of over 90 km / h, while Pilot Mound had winds of 104 km / h, Fougere said.

Other areas that have suffered significant hail include Oakburn, Sandy Lake, Rosburn and Shoal Lake.

Thursday’s storm came after Binscart was hit by a major storm last Sunday that brought extreme winds, tearing parts of buildings and tearing down power lines.