Tornado Reportedly Touches Down Near Rapid City

7:00 p.m. Update: According to witnesses, a tornado touched down 2 or 3 times this afternoon after 4, southwest of Minnedosa in the Rapid City area.

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At 3:38 p.m., Environment Canada issued a tornado warning for the following areas:

R.M. of Minto-Odanah incl. Minnedosa and Moore Park
R.M. of Oakview incl. Oak River and Rapid City

Meteorologists are tracking a severe thunderstorm that is possibly producing a tornado.

Doppler radar continues to indicate very strong rotation on a thunderstorm 10 km south of Rapid City. This thunderstorm is moving northeast at 40 km/h.

They advise the public to take cover if threatening weather approaches.

Details: Contributed by 730 CKDM; Published: Jun 28, 2020 - 3:46 pm

A flood watch and high water advisory have been issued for the southwestern, western and central regions of the province.

Manitoba Infrastructure’s Hydrologic Forecast Centre issued the advisory Sunday afternoon, saying the next 3 to 4 days could bring up to 75 to 100 millimetres of rain.

The advisory from the Forecast Centre also says areas in southwest Manitoba — including Virden and Brandon — could see up to 175 millimetres of rain during this time.

There is potential for overland flooding in low-lying areas, and small streams and creeks.

Most major rivers, including the Assiniboine and Souris rivers, are expected to remain within their banks at most locations.

Details: Contributed by Matt Hamel; Published: Jun 28, 2020 - 3:33 pm

On Sunday, Manitoba public health officials identified no new cases of COVID-19.

The total number of confirmed and probable cases remains at 322.

The province will provide a more detailed update on COVID statistics — with active & recovered case numbers — on Monday at 1 p.m.

For the latest information on COVID-19 in the province, click here.

Details: Contributed by Matt Hamel; Published: Jun 28, 2020 - 1:34 pm

2:25 p.m.

There's a severe thunderstorm warning in effect for:

Mossey River Mun. incl. Winnipegosis and Fork River
R.M. of Dauphin incl. Sifton and Valley River
R.M. of Lakeshore incl. Ochre River and Makinak
R.M. of Lakeshore incl. Rorketon and Toutes Aides

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10:02 a.m.

An earlier thunderstorm warning has ended for parts of the Parkland, however, a thunderstorm watch is now in effect for parts of the region.

A severe thunderstorm watch in effect for:

Gilbert Plains Mun. incl. Ashville
Grandview Mun. incl. Valley River Res.
Mossey River Mun. incl. Winnipegosis and Fork River
Mun. of Ethelbert incl. Garland
Mun. of Roblin incl. Makaroff Shortdale and Bield
Mun. of Russell-Binscarth incl. Gambler Res.
R.M. of Dauphin incl. Sifton and Valley River
R.M. of Lakeshore incl. Ochre River and Makinak
R.M. of Lakeshore incl. Rorketon and Toutes Aides
R.M. of Riding Mountain West incl. Asessippi Prov. Park

Conditions are favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms that may be capable of producing strong wind gusts, large hail and heavy rain.

Thunderstorms with significant amounts of rainfall are currently forecasted to last until Tuesday.

More to come.

Details: Contributed by Matt Hamel; Published: Jun 28, 2020 - 9:05 am

Four new cases of COVID-19 were identified by Manitoba public health officials on Saturday.

The total number of confirmed and probable cases is now 322.

At this time, the province is providing only limited COVID updates on weekends. The online data will be updated on Monday.

The province announced some new public health orders in effect yesterday. Click here to read more.

Details: Contributed by Matt Hamel; Published: Jun 27, 2020 - 3:05 pm

9:25 p.m. update: The severe thunderstorm watch has ended in the Parkland.

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9:00 p.m. update: The severe thunderstorm warning has ended in Wasagaming and Riding Mountain.

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7:25 p.m. update: The severe thunderstorm warning has now ended for Dauphin and Gilbert Plains. There is currently a severe thunderstorm warning for the R.M. of Lakeshore and Wasagaming.

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6:12 p.m. update: The severe thunderstorm watch has now been upgraded to a warning in some areas.

At 6:07 p.m., Environment Canada said the thunderstorm was near Ashville and moving northeast.

The warning is in effect for:

R.M. of Dauphin incl. Sifton and Valley River

Gilbert Plains Mun. incl. Ashville

The warning has ended for Grandview, Ethelbert, Roblin, and Riding Mountain.

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Today's warm weather has brought a severe thunderstorm watch to the Parkland.

The conditions are favourable for severe thunderstorm development that could produce strong wind gusts, large hail, and heavy rain.

There's also a potential for tornadoes in severe thunderstorms.

Environment Canada says lighting kills and injures Canadians every year and advises, when thunder roars, go indoors.

The severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for:

Gilbert Plains Mun. incl. Ashville
Grandview Mun. incl. Valley River Res.
Mossey River Mun. incl. Winnipegosis and Fork River
Mun. of Ethelbert incl. Garland
Mun. of Roblin incl. Makaroff Shortdale and Bield
Mun. of Russell-Binscarth incl. Gambler Res.
R.M. of Dauphin incl. Sifton and Valley River
R.M. of Lakeshore incl. Ochre River and Makinak
R.M. of Lakeshore incl. Rorketon and Toutes Aides
R.M. of Riding Mountain West incl. Asessippi Prov. Park

Details: Contributed by Isaac Wihak; Published: Jun 27, 2020 - 3:02 pm

Early this morning, Environment Canada issued a heat warning for Ashern, Fisher Branch, Brandon, Neepawa and some surrounding areas.

Humidex values reaching 38 are expected, with hot weather expected to last into next week — in parts of southern and east-central Manitoba.

Heat Warning in effect for:

Jackhead Res.
Moose Creek Prov. Forest Pine Dock and Matheson Island
Mun. of Bifrost-Riverton incl. Arborg Hnausa and Hecla
Peguis Res. and Fisher River Res.
R.M. of Fisher incl. Poplarfield
R.M. of Grahamdale incl. Gypsumville Moosehorn and Camper
R.M. of West Interlake incl. Eriksdale and Ashern

City of Brandon
Mun. of Glenboro-South Cypress incl. Treesbank
Mun. of Norfolk Treherne
Mun. of North Cypress-Langford incl. Neepawa and Carberry
Mun. of North Norfolk incl. MacGregor Sidney and Austin
Mun. of Oakland-Wawanesa incl. Carroll
R.M. of Cornwallis west of Shilo incl. Chater
R.M. of Elton incl. Forrest
R.M. of Victoria incl. Holland and Cypress River

Details: Contributed by Matt Hamel; Published: Jun 27, 2020 - 10:42 am

As of Tuesday, the province announced that personal care homes can begin allowing indoor visits.

Vice President of acute and long term care with Prairie Mountain Health (PMH), Debbie Poole, says the restrictions on visits have been very challenging for residents and their families.

Managers have been working hard to get ready for allowing indoor visits, and are coordinating with families to set up a scheduling system.

Poole stresses that visits will be taking place in a designated space inside the personal care home, and not inside the resident's room.

She says visitors will have to follow safety protocols.

“We would be asking [visitors] to wear a mask; definitely will have to perform hand hygiene when they come in. They still will need to maintain social distancing.”

Poole recommends anyone looking for more information to visit the Shared Health website.

Details: Contributed by Matt Hamel; Published: Jun 27, 2020 - 5:29 am

Applications are now open for the Manitoba Job Restart program.

Participants will receive up to $2,000 in direct payments for getting off the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), and returning to work.

Premier Brian Pallister raised concerns that some Manitobans may have an incentive to continue collecting the CERB and avoid returning to the workforce.

The Manitoba Job Restart program will offer payments of $500 each, up to $2,000 over 6 weeks.

To apply for the program, click here.

Details: Contributed by Tess Kovach; Published: Jun 26, 2020 - 5:27 pm

On Thursday, Manitoba’s Education Minister provided some details about what classes will look like on September 8th.

Mountain View School Division superintendent Dan Ward says the Division now has their work cut out for them, as they make preparations for 3 possible back-to-school scenarios.

“We were happy to see the announcement and to receive the document, and have a chance to look at it. We’ll continue to look at it over the coming days and determine what it means for our school division.”

Ward hopes that all students can come back to class on September 8 — as outlined in Scenario 1 — but acknowledges the COVID situation may lead to a blended approach to resuming classes, with some students still learning from home.

“We’ve already started looking at that possibility, hoping that all students can come back full time. But depending on the development of COVID-19, we do have to be prepared for that possibility," he said.

By August 1st, the provincial government will let school divisions know which of the three scenarios they will be moving forward with in September.