Severe Thunderstorm Warning

[polak]

Yeah I know we have the weather thread, but this one seems a bit more strongly worded? My work just sent out the warning to everyone too.

"Conditions are favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms this afternoon and this evening across portions of Alberta. The main threats will be hail to the size of golf balls, damaging wind gusts in excess of 100 km/h and heavy rainfalls in excess of 50 mm."

http://www.theweathernetwork.com/ale...lberta/calgary

If making this was off base, feel free to delete this.

[heep223]

I'm pretty sure this is the standard form thunderstorm warning that occurs every afternoon in the summer. I could be wrong about this though and you're right it does seem more significant than usual.

[polak]

The weirdest part is the radar looked empty when I checked.

[heep223]

I think it's the conditions that warrant the warnings, not the radar. So anytime the conditions are there for a thunder storm they put out the warning. It says 60% chance of a thunder storm this evening, with risk of severe. I don't think there's much to see here. But again I could be wrong.

[calgarygeologist]

Golf ball sized hail! That is crazy. Insurance companies sure would be busy with claims after that. Maybe I can get a temporary job as a claims adjuster.

[Jimmy Stang]

I'm only seeing a "watch". That's a pretty generic statement that things could develop, and if they do, it might include all of that fun stuff.

I'll sit up and take note when a warning is issued. That's when things are actually about to kick off.

[Displaced Flames fan]

It's a watch. A warning is when sever weather is actually occurring.

[BlackArcher101]

Yes, it's only a watch. If it were a warning, then you would see something on the radar.

Generally, unless it's a Tornado warning, it could probably go into the weather thread.

[Looch City]

For the watch.

[Acey]

Originally Posted by heep223

I'm pretty sure this is the standard form thunderstorm warning that occurs every afternoon in the summer. I could be wrong about this though and you're right it does seem more significant than usual.

"Watch" is when conditions are prone for activity to develop (pretty much every day in the foothills), and usually the "warning" is not issued till the storm has fully developed and they're reasonably sure it's on a track headed to a given area.

[polak]

Well I for one am glad I made this thread. I learned something.

[KevanGuy]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

Yes, it's only a watch. If it were a warning, then you would see something on the radar.

Generally, unless it's a Tornado warning, it could probably go into the weather thread.

Agree.