A Meteorologist with Environment Canada says it is severe thunderstorm season and therefore the hail, funnel clouds and heavy rains in recent weeks should come as no surprise.

Since July 4th, storm events have included toonie sized hail in Steinbach, a thirty minute hail storm in Marchand, four inches of rain in two hours at St.Malo and then Monday's funnel cloud spotted near Niverville. Natalie Hasell admits Environment Canada did not forecast a tornado watch or warning for the Niverville area Monday.

"However, there was a risk of a thunderstorm," recalls Hasell. "Even non severe thunderstorms can occasionally produce things like funnel clouds, even landspout tornadoes."

(Photo by Maureen Cope)Hasell adds by all accounts, the funnel cloud dissipated after two minutes.

"So kind of a bit of a little fluke event," she says.

According to Hasell, Monday's funnel cloud did not catch Environment Canada entirely off guard. She says an advisory had been issued earlier in the day for the southwestern corner of the province. And while that line moved into the United States, the chances of funnel clouds forming were not reduced to zero.

Denis Vassart is Emergency Coordinator for Steinbach. Vassart says his Steinbach storm spotters did not go out Monday because they did not feel it necessary. Vassart notes Monday's storm clouds rolled in from the northeast, something he says is unusual.

Vassart notes the last few weeks have been the busiest his storm spotters have been in a few years.

"It started out quietly," he says. "But the last couple of weeks have sure picked up."

(photo by Christina Price)Yet, he says aside from the July 4th storm, Steinbach has largely been spared from severe weather this season.

According to Hasell, severe thunderstorm season runs into September and some years there is still severe weather in October. She notes historically the last week of June and the first couple of weeks in July are the most active.

"Severe thunderstorms are accompanied by frequent lightning, torrential downpours, large hail, strong straight line winds and yes, the occasional tornado, therefore funnel clouds as well," says Hasell. "There's lots of stuff that we still have to pay attention to in the season, it's no where near over."

Environment Canada is calling for daytime highs to be slightly below normal for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, but Hasell says the threat of thunderstorms will continue for the next couple of days.

Video of the funnel cloud by Caroline Stoop

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