Tornado touches down near Roblin

A tornado touched down near Prairie of the Lake on Sunday afternoon. (Source: Hayleigh Langan)

A major thunderstorm across the province has led to a tornado touching down near Lake of the Prairies on Sunday afternoon according to Environment and Climate Change Canada.

Hayleigh Langan was working at Pyott West Campround when around 3:45pm she said she saw a waterspout tornado on the lake, ran outside and started recording video.

“There’s a tornado on the lake. Watch it,” said a voice nearby.

In messages to CTV News Langan said everyone appears to be okay, there was no damage, the waterspout stayed on the lake.

“Surprisingly I wasn’t afraid, it was a shock when I first seen it,” she said.

ECCC meteologist Heather Pimiskern said the tornado occurred around 3:45 p.m. Sunday afternoon.

“We are confirming a waterspout tornado touched down on Lake of the Prairies,” she said.

ECCC received the report of the waterspout around 3:50 p.m. That was the first of numerous eye-witness and video reports.

“It was on the lake for a few minutes, but I can’t say exactly how long,” Pimiskern said.

She said a waterspout tornado is still a tornado.

“A torondo definition by the American Meterology Society is a rotating column of air in contact with a surface and it’s pendant from the cumuliform cloud and is often visible as a funnel cloud and /or circulating dust or debris from the ground. In the case of a waterspout, it’s picking up water,” she said.

ECCC said to its knowledge there was no damage or reports of injury.

Pimiskern said ECCC is not aware of any other tornadoes in Manitoba on Sunday, but other parts of the province were hit with thunderstorms, some of which produced quarter sized hail.

Meteorologists say the thunderstorms are capable of producing severe wind gusts with heavy rain and nickel-size hail.

For many parts of the province, a severe thunderstorm warning is in effect. Residents are being advised to stay indoors and to stay safe.

- With files from CTV’s Beth Macdonell