Parts of southeastern Alberta under critical 'red' tornado warning: Environment Canada

Parts of southeastern Alberta under critical 'red' tornado warning: Environment Canada

Cypress County, Medicine Hat and Redcliff impacted

UPDATE: As of 4:11 p.m., Environment Canada downgraded the "red" warning to an "orange" thunderstorm warning.

Environment Canada has issued a critical "red" tornado warning for parts of southeastern Alberta, as its meteorologists track a severe thunderstorm that "is possibly producing a tornado."

The localities under warning include Cypress County, Medicine Hat and Redcliff.

"This dangerous thunderstorm is located 10 kilometres west of Medicine Hat and is moving to the southeast at 65 kilometres/hour," the federal weather agency said on its website.

Environment Canada issued an initial warning just after 3 p.m. on Tuesday. A "red" warning is the most severe warning on the agency's scale and is issued when conditions are considered very dangerous and possibly life-threatening.

The agency says damaging winds, large hail and locally intense rainfall are also possible.

People in the area are advised to take cover immediately in a basement, interior room or a sturdy shelter if threatening weather approaches and to keep an eye on local media for more information.

Much of the rest of southern Alberta is under a yellow severe thunderstorm watch including Calgary and Lethbridge.