After a severe weather system rolled through Saskatchewan on Thursday night, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) says it’s investigating eight “highly probable” tornadoes.

Meteorologists tracked “numerous dangerous rotating thunderstorms through southern Saskatchewan,” stated a weather summary posted to the federal department’s website on Friday.

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“All indicators point to numerous highly probable tornado events.”

The province was subject to multiple tornado warnings that started in the afternoon. Within a short period, some areas were upgraded to alerts.

Shortly after 5 p.m., the government sent out an emergency alert in the Regina area, noting: “TORNADO in this mobile coverage area. Take immediate cover in a basement or interior room if weather threat approaches. Shelter from flying debris outside.”

Jen Resch, who lives about 20 kilometres southeast of Regina, said she had just gotten home from work when the weather turned.

“My husband looked out the window and said, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s a funnel cloud,’” said the Kronau resident, recalling how quickly the tornado came on. “We saw the funnel cloud dropping. You could also see the dirt starting to whip upward. It was kind of mesmerizing.”

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And just as fast, it began to dissipate, Resch said, estimating it was gone within five minutes.

Shannon Bileski, a Manitoba-based weather enthusiast and storm chaser, also got a first-hand glimpse of the Saskatchewan storms.

“It’s just witnessing mother nature,” she said of why she does what she does. “It’s always been a fasciation of mine.”

Bileski, who photographs and reports on storms using social media, said she had been monitoring conditions and hit the road toward Regina earlier in the day when she realized things were brewing. Bileski estimates she was about 30 kilometres from a funnel cloud near Vibank, Sask. — 50 kilometres southeast of Regina — when she saw it.

“We use weather models and we determine where the ingredients of storms are going to be,” Bileski said of the tracking process.

She noted that forecasting and calculating weather patterns is not only crucial to finding severe weather as it happens, it’s also important when planning for various exit strategies as situations evolve.

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“You can kind of see what’s going on with the storms and you get to a safe place if you need to,” Bileski said.

ECCC’s weather summary stated there was a “likely” tornado southwest of the Hamlet of Davin — about 10 kilometres northwest of Vibank — at 5:05 p.m. Thursday. It said there was another “likely” tornado about 25 kilometres further southeast of Davin, near the Village of Odessa, at 5:52 p.m.

According to the weather summary, there was also a “likely tornado” at 4:20 p.m. near the Hamlet of Hirsch, which is roughly 30 kilometres east of Estevan. At 4:40, 4:45 and 4:49 p.m., there were three “likely” tornadoes near the Village of Frobisher, which is about 10 kilometres further east of Hirsch.

Further north, there was a “likely” tornado at 6:16 p.m. near the Village of Young, 100 kilometres southeast of Saskatoon. Later in the evening at 9:10 p.m. — roughly 200 kilometres southeast of Young, near Hubbard — there was yet another “likely” tornado.

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“At this time, there is insufficient evidence to confirm how many tornadoes have occurred. Therefore, meteorologists continue to investigate these events. Please note that no damage or injury reports have been received,” continued the ECCC weather summary, which also said the department is looking for pictures and videos of the “likely” tornados and any damage they may have caused.

ECCC is asking the public to email storm@ec.gc.ca or post to social media with the hashtag #skstorm.

“Confirmation of the number, location, and other details of these events will occur later, as investigations are completed, and this message will be updated with that information,” added the summary.

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