Stay informed with the LNN Daily Newsletter
Coaldale's Jack Van Rijn shows how much rain fell by the morning of Wednesday, May 9, 2024. (Photo: Jack Van Rijn)

Winds exceeded 100 km/hr, rain over 80 mm in parts of southern Alberta

May 8, 2024 | 9:03 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Southern Alberta is being hit with a powerful wind and rain storm this week, and we now know the extent of it.

Environment Canada has released rainfall amounts and peak wind gusts for several communities across the province, most of which are in the southern region.

The 48-hour rainfall total in millimetres, as of 5:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 8, are:

  • Pinhorn: 81
  • Hussar: 79.6
  • Medicine Hat: 79.5
  • Atlee: 78.5
  • Wrentham: 77.3
  • Craigmyle: 69.2
  • Buffalo: 68.5
  • Raymond: 67.7
  • Irvine: 66.8
  • Fincastle: 66.1
  • Seven Persons: 64.6
  • Vauxhall: 62.3
  • Bull Springs: 61.7
  • Milk River 57.6
  • Onefour: 55.1
  • Acadia Valley: 54.5
  • Warner: 52
  • Bow Island: 49.7
  • Standard: 48.7
  • Drumheller: 43.4
  • Lethbridge: 42.0 as of midnight
  • Brooks: 39.9
  • Coronation: 39.7
  • Camrose: 32.7
  • Stettler: 32.1

Peak wind gusts, in kilometres per hour, are as follows:

  • Onefour: 106
  • Pakowki Lake: 104
  • Travers: 104
  • Bassano: 102
  • Champion: 102
  • Wrentham: 10
  • Pinhorn: 100
  • Lathom: 98
  • Vauxhall: 98
  • Milk River: 98
  • Hussar: 96
  • Fincastle: 96
  • Barons: 94
  • Gleichen: 94
  • Masinasin: 94
  • Brooks: 94
  • Warner: 94
  • Lethbridge: 93
  • Keoma: 93
  • Rainier: 91
  • Diamond Valley: 91
  • Linden: 91
  • Strathmore: 91
  • Hand Hills: 90
  • Calgary Airport: 89
  • Finnegan: 89
  • Patricia: 89
  • Lethbridge: 89
  • Standard: 89
  • Pollockville: 89
  • Raymond: 89
  • Rosemary: 89

Several communities, including Lethbridge, Taber, Coalhurst, Shaughnessy, Picture Butte, and Medicine Hat experienced power outages.

Officials in Coaldale received numerous calls about “flying trampolines.”

Environment Canada has issued rainfall and/or snowfall warnings for much of southern Alberta.

The Cardston area has both weather alerts, saying another five to 10 mm of rain is expected this morning before turning to snow.

Areas with only the snowfall warning include Pincher Creek, Crowsnest Pass, Waterton Lakes National Park. They are expecting 10 to 15 cm.

Rainfall warnings are in place for most other communities in the region, including Fort Macleod, Lethbridge, Coaldale, Taber, Milk River, Raymond, Coutts, Vauxhall, and Medicine Hat.

More details on weather alerts in Canada are on the Environment Canada website.

Areas in southern Alberta with a rainfall and/or snowfall warning on May 8, 2024. (Photo: Environment Canada)

READ MORE: FortisAlberta investigating several power outages in southern Alberta

If you have a news tip, question or concern, please email Lethbridge.newsroom@Pattisonmedia.com.