MEDICINE HAT, ALBERTA — Environment Canada issued a tornado warning on June 16, 2026, for a rural area situated between Brooks and Medicine Hat in Alberta. Meteorological officials downgraded the warning to a severe thunderstorm warning later that day.

Environment Canada meteorologists tracked a severe thunderstorm just south of Tilley at 3 p.m. local time. The storm moved southeast at speeds between 40 and 65 km/h across a rural area located between Brooks, Medicine Hat, and Lethbridge. The red tornado warning was downgraded to an orange severe thunderstorm warning at 4:11 p.m. local time.

The downgraded warning indicated that the storm was capable of producing wind gusts that could cause damage, heavy rain, and hail ranging from the size of a loonie to a ping pong ball. Environment Canada had forecasted wind gusts of up to 80 km/h in the Lethbridge and Medicine Hat areas. Redcliff, Canadian Forces Base Suffield, and Bow Island were removed from the warning area when the alert was downgraded.

The initial warning was issued through the Alberta Emergency Alert system. It first covered the County of Newell near Tilley and Rolling Hills. The alert area was later expanded to include Cypress County, Bow Island, Redcliff, and Highway 879. On the morning of June 16, 2026, a severe thunderstorm watch had been issued for much of southern Alberta.

At least 10 tornadoes had been recorded in southern Alberta during 2026. The Northern Tornado Project and Environment Canada classified the 2026 southern Alberta tornadoes as landspouts rather than supercell systems. Officials stated that these landspout tornadoes in 2026 did not cause structural damage.