Wednesday, July 9, 2025 is shaping up to be a high-impact weather day across central and southern Alberta, with the potential for severe thunderstorms, large damaging hail, and a moderate tornado risk in several key areas of the province.
Critical conditions between Red Deer and the Saskatchewan border
According to Environment and Climate Change Canada’s (ECCC) Storm Prediction Centre, there are two primary zones under threat for severe weather activity.
One of the highest-risk areas includes the region around Red Deer, stretching eastward to the Saskatchewan border. This area may experience wind gusts up to 120 km/h (75 mph), hail as large as five centimetres (2 inches) in diameter, and isolated tornadoes. Forecasters say the most likely trigger is a strong cold front colliding with a bulging dry line, creating optimal conditions for rotating thunderstorms to form.
Severe winds and large hail for east-central Alberta
Elsewhere, across east-central Alberta, a broad swath may see damaging wind gusts exceeding 100 km/h (62 mph) and hail up to four centimetres (1.6 inches) in size. According to the ECCC outlook, a tornado is possible if the atmospheric dynamics line up where the two air masses intersect.
Edmonton and Calgary in minor risk zone
Both Edmonton and Calgary fall under a lower risk zone, though they are not completely spared. These cities could see scattered thunderstorms producing gusts up to 70 km/h (43 mph), hail around two centimetres (0.8 inches) in diameter, and localized rainfall totals of up to 30 millimetres (1.2 inches).
The storm threat may linger into Thursday, July 10, with Calgary (YYC) particularly under the gun for another round of storms during the afternoon hours.
Storms shift east tonight
As the evening progresses, storm activity will shift eastward, with thunderstorms exiting Alberta and pushing into Saskatchewan and parts of Manitoba. This will bring a temporary break in the severe weather pattern for the province overnight.
Sunny weekend expected for Edmonton and Calgary
Looking ahead to the seven-day forecast, both Edmonton and Calgary are poised for a sun-filled weekend, with clear skies and comfortable temperatures. This promises to deliver a beautiful finish to the Calgary Stampede, just before showers return early next week, particularly on Monday, July 14.
