Severe thunderstorms have developed across part of Southern Manitoba Sunday afternoon, and have started to impact some community’s Canada Day activities.

The Town of Altona has cancelled the free inflatables originally scheduled for Altona Park from 4pm to 7pm., and has also cancelled the chalk drawing contest. The evening program, scheduled to start at 7 p.m., will go ahead as planned.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch was issued for most of Southern Manitoba just before noon Sunday, with Warnings issued for most of Southwestern Manitoba, and parts of the Pembina Valley around 3 p.m. Very heavy rain, strong winds and some small hail were reported in Altona during a storm that moved through the town around 3 p.m. One Rainwatcher tells us they received 10 millimeters (4/10ths of an inch) in less than 15 minutes.

CMOS Accredited Weathercaster Chris Sumner tells PembinaValleyOnline today’s stormy weather is a pretty classic Summer situation.

“A very warm and humid airmass was in place over the region, and a cold front pushing across the province ploughed into that. The cold front was the necessary trigger for severe thunderstorm activity to develop.”

Sumner expects the stormy weather to continue for most of the afternoon and into the evening hours.

Below pictures submitted by Lisa Peters and Candace Derksen.