A special weather statement issued for Calgary says conditions are favourable for funnel clouds to form Sunday afternoon and continuing into the evening.
Environment Canada says conditions are favourable for such an event, with temperatures dipping to 5 C as of noon, with thunderstorms and heavy rain showers expected throughout the city.
The notice says funnel clouds are generated by weak rotation under rapidly growing clouds or weak thunderstorms. While weak rotation is normally not a danger near the ground, the ECCC says there is a chance that this rotation could intensify and become a weak landspout tornado.
“Landspout tornadoes do not usually cause significant damage, but can still be dangerous. They can be strong enough to topple trees, damage roofs or toss debris short distances,” the notice reads.
The notice comes as Calgary’s festival season kicked off with the Lilac Festival on 4 Street SW in the city’s downtown.
Because of the massive scale of the street fair, city crews are reminding drivers that several major corridors will be fully closed to vehicles starting early Sunday morning.
Heavy demand, temporary traffic and parking changes in the area are expected, and more walking once parked, the Calgary Parking Authority says. It adds that there will be a better experience for those who choose off-street parking and have a plan.
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