A downed tree blocks a set of stairs at Heritage Ranch in Red Deer after Friday's weather event. (@BryanRowsell on Twitter)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

blown away

Friday winds in Red Deer nearly reach speed of June 2017 storm

Oct 26, 2019 | 2:39 PM

Winds in Red Deer topped out at 109 km/h on Friday, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada.

A wind warning went into effect around lunch time Friday, with gusts expected to hit the 100 km/h mark into the evening. In comparison, winds hit 111 km/h on June 20, 2017 when Red Deer had to declare a local state of emergency.

On Friday, the fastest wind speed recorded in the province was in Stavely, south of Okotoks, where gusts reached 130 km/h.

Bassano hit 122, Stettler saw 119, Coronation experienced 107, and in Camrose, speeds reached 100. Grande Prairie also got smacked with 12 centimetres of snow, while Red Deer saw a couple centimetres fall overnight.

Though not mentioned by Environment Canada, some reports also suggested wind speeds hit north of 150 km/h near Nanton.

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There weren’t any reports of significant damage in Red Deer directly connected to the windstorm, however it did wreak havoc in Ponoka County.

Regional Fire Services says it was just after 1 p.m. when the Ponoka County East Fire District began getting several calls. The first was for an MVC caused by the wind, though there were no reported injuries. There was however damage to the truck and a cargo trailer.

Shortly thereafter, crews were dispatched to a farm equipment fire north of Hwy 53 just to the east of the QEII. Black smoke could be seen for some distance.

“The wind event put our crews to the test and they were well up for the challenge,” explained Dennis Jones, Regional Fire Chief. “We worked with Town of Ponoka Public Works and their Electrical Department to respond to trees and downed powerline calls that occurred in the Town’s municipal limits, and with Fortis for similar events that occurred in the County. We all worked well together as a team to keep the residents safe.”

Crews also responded to a hazardous materials spill where a blown tire had punctured a hole in the tank of a transport truck carrying hot road repair materials.

The forecast for Red Deer includes wind gusts from 40 to 60 km/h for some time before diminishing to 20 to 40 km/h overnight Saturday. The wind chill will reach -17.

On Sunday, a mix of sun and cloud, and a wind chill of -13. Overnight into Monday, the area has a 60 per cent chance of seeing rain showers or flurries as the temperature dips to -10.