Severe thunderstorm in Saskatoon causes power outages, street flooding

Crews from the City of Saskatoon are responding to “power outages, lifted manhole covers and flooded streets” following a severe thunderstorm Monday evening.

According to a press release on Monday from the city, Environment Canada issued a thunderstorm warning and then a thunderstorm watch earlier on Monday. The weather service said a low pressure system in south central Saskatchewan “has and will continue” to bring a risk of severe thunderstorms to the area on Monday and overnight.

“At first assessment, the hardest hit areas appear to be in the south and west ends of the city,” the release said, noting that Confederation Drive and Laurier Drive was impassable following the downpour. The Saskatoon Police Service also reported stranded vehicles on Fairlight Drive because of high water, the city said.

Saskatoon Light & Power had four major feeder outages affecting customers. Outages were caused by a lightning strike damaging three poles; lightning damaging a capacitor bank; tree contacts; and damaged equipment from the storm.

Awesome storm in Saskatoon! #skstorm @TornadoGreg pic.twitter.com/tRzJNsqwuA

— HeshPoker (@heshpoker) July 11, 2017

As of 10 p.m. on Monday, there were a number of smaller outages affecting single homes where secondary lines had been knocked down by trees.

The Canadian Press reported that the storm “dumped hail about the size of quarters, which appeared to block storm sewers and may have contributed to the flooding.”

Related weather systems dumped a large volume of hail in the Cypress Hills region and pushed wind gusts to more than 100 kilometres an hour in Estevan, but dropped only minimal rain on Regina.

#yxe #skstorm @TornadoGreg hail damage to my house from tonight's storm. South of Grasswood Rd. #MotherNatureisfierce pic.twitter.com/QlICHmX0ci

— Carol Whitecalf (@ccw_rock) July 11, 2017

Intersection at Confederation & Laurier Dr is submerged, traffic signs just poking out of the water https://t.co/fjLyeGIQz4 #yxe #skstorm pic.twitter.com/YH1Bav4RBg

— Peter Quinlan (@PQuinlanGlobal) July 11, 2017

Storm by saskatoon this time with a church. #skstorm 659pm pic.twitter.com/cFriEr6v6b

— Beth Allan (@adolwyn) July 11, 2017

Wall cloud South of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan #skstorm @PrairieChasers 6:45PM @SeanSchofer pic.twitter.com/iyyRxurIBg

— Braydon Morisseau (@BraydonMoreSo) July 11, 2017