'Severe thunderstorms can produce tornadoes' Environment Canada says as funnel clouds spotted in Fraser Valley
CTV
Weather watchers took in some rare sights Saturday as storms brought an array of meteorological phenomena to the Lower Mainland.
Weather watchers took in some rare sights Saturday as storms brought an array of meteorological phenomena to the Lower Mainland.
In the Fraser Valley, funnel clouds were spotted in the sky between Abbotsford and Chilliwack as a result of a thunderstorm moving over the region.
Environment and Climate Change Canada issued a severe thunderstorm watch for the Fraser Valley at 4 p.m., noting conditions are favourable for the development of storms that could produce strong wind gusts, large hail and heavy rain.
It said funnel clouds may reform over the next several hours.
And in a rare move for a weather alert in southwestern B.C., the agency wrote, “remember, severe thunderstorms can produce tornadoes.”
Funnel clouds, which appear as rotating columns coming out of the base of a cloud, become tornadoes if they reach the ground. Tornadoes are extremely rare in B.C., but one did touch down on the University of British Columbia campus in November 2021.
Just before 6 p.m., ECCC issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the western portion of the Fraser Valley, which includes Abbotsford and Mission.
