A large storm system barrelled across stretches of the southern Northwest Territories on Wednesday evening, generating warnings for residents and thousands of lightning strikes.
As of 9pm on Wednesday, Hay River and Fort Providence were the latest communities to be placed under a storm warning. The same had earlier happened in the Dehcho.
“Conditions are favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms this evening, which may be capable of producing strong wind gusts, large hail and heavy rain,” Environment Canada stated.
An NWT government map that documents lightning strikes showed many hundreds moving in an arc from west to east across the Dehcho and parts of the South Slave.
Fort Liard, Nahanni Butte, Kakisa and Enterprise were also covered by storm warnings for at least a portion of the afternoon and evening.
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Environment Canada had described the system as “a line of severe thunderstorms capable of producing damaging wind gusts, up to quarter size hail and heavy rain.”
By 9pm there had been no confirmed reports of damage from any communities in the storm’s path. (If a storm reached your NWT community on Wednesday, you can send photos and video here.)
NWT Fire said storms were helping to create “elevated wildfire conditions” on Wednesday – lightning is by far the most common cause of wildfires in the territory – but cooler, wetter conditions are expected later in the week.
