Updated Tuesday, July 19th at 7:55 p.m. - Environment Canada has ended all Severe Thunderstorm watches in Southern Manitoba. Be sure to check PembinaValleyOnline Wednesday morning for Rainwatcher reports from across the region.

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Updated Tuesday, July 19th at 4:15 p.m.  - Environment Canada has reissued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for the Morden, Winkler, Altona and Morris areas as thunderstorms have started to redevelop this afternoon. The thunderstorm threat will diminish early this evening, but prior to that scattered thunderstorms may reach severe limits in these regions.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch continues for all regions east of the Red River to the Ontario border.

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It was a stormy start to Tuesday, with the booming of thunder and bolts of lightning awakening many in the Pembina and Red River Valleys.

"Just before 5 a.m. several Tornado Warnings were issued after Environment Canada meteorologists noted indications on RADAR which suggested a tornado may be occurring or soon occurring in those regions," explained CMOS Accredited Weathercaster Chris Sumner.

All Tornado Warnings were ended before 6 a.m., and at one point included the Municipality of Rhineland, as well as R.M.'s of Montcalm, Morris and De Salaberry.

Meanwhile, around 6:50 a.m. Tuesday morning, all Severe Thunderstorm Warnings across the Red River Valley were ended. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect for most of Southeastern Manitoba from the Red River to Ontario border including the Emerson, Morris, Vita and Sprague regions.

"The reason that Watch is still in place is, the initial activity we saw this morning, think of it as the leading edge of this upper level low that is just moisture packed," noted Sumner. "We are now seeing some peeks of sunshine in areas south of the number one highway, so daytime heating is going to build instability throughout the day. As the cold front associated with this low starts to slide southward, and slices into this warm humid air mass, it will act as the trigger for potentially more severe thunderstorm development late this morning or this afternoon."

Sumner added, even if we do not see severe thunderstorm activity, it's very likely right across southern Manitoba from the Saskatchewan border to the Ontario border there will be additional shower and non-severe thunderstorm activity at some point today. 

The following rainfall totals are courtesy PembinaValleyOnline Rainwatchers and the Manitoba Ag Weather Network, and reflect the amounts received during Tuesday morning until the storm activity moved through the region:

Two miles south of Morden - 45mm (1.8 inches)
Somerset - 44mm (1.75 inches)
Morris/Winkler (in city) - 30mm (around 1.2 inches)
North of Horndean, Plum Coulee - 25mm (1 inch)
Winkler (south of city) - 23.9mm
Carman - 17.5mm (7/10ths)
Gnadenthal - 10mm (4/10ths)
Altona - 7.5mm (3/10ths)

25mm = 1 inch