Tornado touched down west of Edmonton on Wednesday

Witness describes Niton tornado The man who witnessed Alberta’s first tornado of 2019 touch down reveals the damage his property sustained. CTV Edmonton’s Dan Grummett reports.

CTV News has confirmed reports of a tornado west of Edmonton on Wednesday.

According to Environment Canada, they have received reports of a tornado in the Niton area on Wednesday.  They have confirmed that it will go in their records as a verified tornado.

The location of the property that was damaged is about 7km north of Peers in the McLeod valley.

Jason Rand witnessed the tornado touch down on his property, as it neared his herd of cattle.

"I just saw this huge cloud move across the pasture," said Rand. "What I saw was at least 100 feet tall and 80 feet wide and I could see it circulating. I was thinking I’m glad my kids aren’t here, glad my wife’s not here."

None of his animals were injured, however two sheds and a line of fences were ripped from the ground.

Environment Canada has classified the twister Rand witnessed as a land spout tornado, with wind speeds between 90 and 130 kilometres an hour.

"These can form from basically any thunderstorm," said Kyle Fougere with Environment and Climate Change Canada. "A land spout tornado you have weak rotation near the ground that is stretched by growing thunderstorms or showers and it can form a tornado."

Fougere added that land spout tornados are difficult to catch on radar, making it hard to put out any advanced warning for them.

Alberta averages about 12 tornados per year, with the earliest reported tornado in the province in a calendar year occurring on Feb. 17, 1937 near Nanton, AB.

With files from CTV Edmonton's Dan Grummett