Tornado and severe storms cause destruction in parts of Southeast Sask
June 15, 2026, 11:07 am
Stephanie Zoer
A series of serious thunderstorms last week caused destruction in parts of Southeast Saskatchewan, and caused an EF-3 tornado that touched down near Oxbow. Storm watches were issued a few days in advance, but nothing could prepare people for what was to come.
The storms started on June 6, late in the afternoon and ran into the evening. The thunder and lightning lit up the skies for hours and into the night. Many people reported receiving over three inches of rain in a short period of time. Strong winds tore off shingles and caused flooding in many communities.
Sunday night, June 7 another storm warning was issued for the southeast. This storm came quickly. The winds were reaching over 100 kilometers an hour, and the rain came down in sheets, and then the power went out in Arcola and surrounding areas.
With streets pitch black and the wind howling, trees could be heard cracking. Arcola was hit hard with the wind. Several large spruce trees went down with one narrowly missing power lines that ran to a home. Throughout the town, branches lay everywhere. Power was restored after six hours.
It is believed that a tornado touched down by Hirsch on Sunday evening. It downed trees, grain bins, and some buildings. It is estimated that the tornado is classified as an EF-1 which is determined by the wind speed.
Carlyle was also hit by the same wind and rain. The golf course looked like a lake and trees could not stay standing with the powerful wind. Another several inches of rain were received. When the ground is saturated with rain, the root base of trees weakens.
Throughout these two days cell phone alerts went off regularly with warnings, but so far, no tornados had been reported.
On Tuesday, June 9 the alerts sounded once again. The radar maps showed large and dangerous systems were to hit the southeast for a third time.
Tanner Milligan loves to chase storms, and he found himself in the middle of them on Sunday. He was on Highway 13 between Redvers and Manor. He could feel his vehicle shifting on the road. “I was scared and very nervous,” he said.
“The wind was blowing so hard, it almost sounded like it was screaming.”
This old grain bin was used for storage on Crystal Harper’s farm. It ended up in a tree. The farm had considerable damage from the June 7 storm. This storm created a great deal of damage on his farm with downed trees, grain bins tossed over and patio furniture thrown in a pile. His family and animals remained safe through the storm. Milligan feels that this was a high elevated plow wind, which created a microburst and went straight along the hill line. These winds are very destructive and cause a lot of damage in their path.
On Tuesday Milligan went out once again to chase the storm. He was on Highway 361, about seven miles north of Alameda and he felt like he hit a grayish black wall. To get close to the storm he skipped onto Highway 9 and crossed over Highway 18. Milligan saw the huge tornado coming down out of the sky.
This large storm cloud went over Carlyle on June 7 bringing with it heavy thunderstorms.Danny Brock and his family were not so lucky to stay out of the path of the tornado. His wife was not home, but Danny and two of his children were. They went to the basement. A few moments later they had lost their home and many buildings on the farm. Their family remained safe.
In the Oxbow area many farmers are still missing cattle, and the clean up is ongoing with flooded fields, downed trees, overturned grain bins, trailers tipped over, and the list goes on. It is estimated that the tornado that hit the area was an EF-3.
As the clean up continues in many of the communities in the southeast, they hope that this will be the end of this kind of weather. For some places it will take weeks. As for the Brock family, the community is beginning fundraising to help the family.
A large spruce tree barely missing the power lines on Main Street in Arcola. 
