Southwestern Manitoba under tornado watch, severe thunderstorm warnings as heat intensifies

Parts of southwestern Manitoba are on the lookout for potential tornadoes and severe thunderstorm warnings are in effect as the south is under a heat warning on Sunday, Environment Canada says.

On Sunday afternoon, Environment Canada put out a tornado watch for areas surrounding Dauphin and Riding Mountain National Park. It later added severe thunderstorm warnings for MinnedosaandRiding Mountain National Park, as well as the Dauphin-Russell-Roblin-Winnipegosis regions and the area of Swan River-Duck Mountain-Porcupine Provincial Forest.

Severe thunderstorms are forecast to form in an unstable air mass over the Saskatchewan-Manitoba border in the afternoon, some of which have the potential to produce tornadoes.

Strong gusts of wind, heavy rainand large hail will accompany any severe thunderstorms.

The tornado watch covers the following areas:

• Dauphin, Russell, RoblinandWinnipegosis.
• Melita, Boissevain andTurtle Mountain Provincial Park.
• Minnedosa and Riding Mountain National Park.
• Swan River, Duck Mountain and Porcupine Provincial Forest.
• Virden and Souris.

To the south and west, a heat warning is in place where temperatureswill rise to the mid-30s C, feeling much hotter throughout the day with the humidity.

Along with the heat, very humid conditions will develop for many areas, where humidex values will hover between 40 to 45, Environment Canada said in a heat warning.

In Winnipeg, where the Manitoba Marathon took placeon Sunday, humidex values will likely climb into the 35 to 40 range by 10 a.m.and could feel as hot as 40 C by noon.

The heat prompted organizers to cancel the event an hour into the race.

The sweltering air mass will stay in place into Monday. Overnight on Sunday, lows will be in the lower 20s, and daytime highs the next day will be back into the 30s.

Areas in southwest Manitoba will ease slightly into the high 20s by the afternoon.

The weather warning covers the following areas:

• Bissett,Victoria Beach, Nopiming ProvincialPark andPine Falls.
• Brandon, Neepawa,CarberryandTreherne.
• City of Winnipeg.
• Dugald, BeausejourandGrand Beach.
• Killarney, Pilot Mound andManitou.
• Melita, Boissevain andTurtle Mountain Provincial Park.
• Morden, Winkler,AltonaandMorris.
• Portage la Prairie, Headingley,BrunkildandCarman.
• Selkirk,Gimli,Stonewall andWoodlands.
• Sprague, Northwest Angle Provincial Forest.
• Steinbach,St. Adolphe,Emerson,Vita andRicher.
• Virden and Souris.
• Whiteshell, Lac du Bonnet andPinawa.

Environment Canada is warning people to take precautions to ensure they don't fall victim to the negative health effects of extreme heat.

That means staying out of direct sunlight, drinking plenty of water and ensuring you spend time in cool places.

Sometimes, people can experience heat illness. The signs includingswelling, rash, cramps, fainting and the worsening of some health conditions.

Watch for heat stroke, which can begin with headache, hot skin, dizziness or confusion,and take action immediately.

For more information on heat and your health, visitManitoba Health's websiteor Call Health Links at 204-788-8200 or toll-free at 1-888-315-9257.