Medicine Hat, AB area tornado and downburst confirmed
NTP, in collaboration with Environment Canada, has confirmed an EF2 tornado and an EF1 downburst in the Medicine Hat area of Alberta. An NTP ground / drone survey collected key data, including a drone orthomosaic that provided a very high-resolution aerial image of the damage areas. This made it clear that the damage in the Cypress County area was tornadic, while the damage in the Redcliff area was due to a downburst. Please see the detailed summaries below.
Event Name: Cypress County (Medicine Hat)
Date: July 18, 2022
Time: 1:10 PM MDT (1910 UTC)
Final Classification: Tornado (Over Land, concurrent - primary)
Final EF-Scale Rating: EF2
EF-Scale Damage Indicator / Degree of Damage: FR12/DOD-7
Start of damage track: 50.0035N, 110.9160W
End of damage of track: 50.0491N, 110.8382W
Location of worst damage: 50.0181N, 110.8910W
Description: Structural and tree damage was reported in Cypress County west of Medicine Hat after a storm passed through the area. Paramedics responded to the scene though Alberta Health Services reported no injuries. Several farm animals perished. An NTP ground and drone survey was completed on July 18-19, 2022. Damage assessed as EF2 tornado, with an estimated max. wind speed of 190 km/h, track length of 7.80 km and max. path width of 300 m. Tornado motion was from the SW (approx. 230 degrees). Satellite imagery review revealed notable hail damage along the storm track. A downburst developed as the tornado was dissipating and caused EF1 damage in Redcliff.
Event Name: Redcliff (Medicine Hat)
Date: July 18, 2022
Time: 1:20 PM MDT (1920 UTC)
Final Classification: Downburst (concurrent – secondary)
Final EF-Scale Rating: EF1
EF-Scale Damage Indicator / Degree of Damage: ETL/DOD-4
Damage area: 50.0818N, 110.7328W
Description: Structural and tree damage was reported in Redcliff after a storm passed through the area. No injuries have been reported at this time. An NTP ground and drone survey was completed on July 18, 2022. Damage assessed as EF1 downburst, with an estimated max. wind speed of 150 km/h, with weak damage in multiple locations over an area at least 6.0 km long and 6.0 km wide. Satellite imagery review revealed notable hail damage along the storm track. An EF2 tornado that developed in Cypress County west of Medicine Hat dissipated southwest of Redcliff.
