Environment Canada has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for Niverville and the surrounding Rural Municipality of Hanover, including Steinbach and Grunthal, as a cold front moves through southern Manitoba on Monday, July 6, 2026. Storms are expected to develop late this afternoon and continue into the evening, bringing the risk of large hail, damaging winds, and heavy rain.
The watch was put in place at 10:56 a.m. CDT and warns that conditions are favourable for severe thunderstorms capable of producing strong wind gusts, large hail and heavy rainfall. Thunderstorms are likely to start around 4 to 5 p.m. and then move east across the region, possibly merging into a larger storm line.
Residents should be prepared for hail up to the size of ping-pong balls, wind gusts as high as 100 km/h, and heavy downpours that could cause flash flooding. Local utility outages and damage to roofs, fences, or tree branches are possible. Fast-rising water may also sweep vehicles off roads or damage infrastructure.
A tornado watch is also in effect for parts of southeastern Manitoba, including areas near the border, because some storms may start to rotate. While tornadoes are not a certainty, weather forecasters note the atmosphere has plenty of instability and wind shear to support supercell storms. Manitoba averages around eight to nine tornadoes each year, and the Niverville area experienced a landspout tornado just southeast of town in April 2025.
Environment Canada urges everyone to secure outdoor furniture, stay indoors during the storm, and avoid travel if possible. Lightning alone kills about 10 Canadians and injures approximately 100 to 150 each year, making any thunderstorm dangerous. Monitor local alerts for updates through the evening.
The storm risk is expected to ease by Tuesday, which will be cooler with highs near 25°C and periods of rain. Hot, sunny weather returns by Saturday, with temperatures climbing to 32°C.
