October 18-19, 1920 Unseasonably Strong Thunderstorms in Southwestern Manitoba
Thunderstorms moved through southwestern Manitoba and the Interlake from the evening of October 18 to the morning of October 19, 1920. They were part of a larger system which also struck Alberta and Saskatchewan with a snowstorm. The thunderstorms were unusually strong for that late in the season, causing minor wind damage and locally 20 to 40 mm of rain. Large hail was also reported in some areas such as Rapid City. It appears a southwest to northeast swath from Souris to Minnedosa to Eriksdale experienced the worst of the thunderstorms. The snowstorm struck hardest between Medicine Hat and Swift Current, and snow fell as far east as Biggar, SK.
A summary of the storms by location as follows:
Brandon - Rainfall during the electrical storm totalled 13.7 mm. Very little damage in Brandon. Some fuses were burned out at the Telephone and Telegraph offices, but were back to normal by morning.
Souris - The storm seemed to break in all its fury and some property damage resulted. Some telephone wires were down.
Minnedosa - An electrical storm of midsummer violence, even worse than any experienced this past summer. The first storm struck about 10:30 pm on the 18th, and another storm at 10 am the 19th. A farm house was struck by lightning and completely destroyed. The power plant was put out of commission. Several wires were blown down.
Burrows (possibly near Grandview) - A thunderstorm with heavy rain passed over this district early in the morning on the 19th.
Glenboro - A heavy rainstorm with severe thunder and lightning struck the town the night of the 18th-19th. It lasted for an hour or so.
Rapid City - One of the most unseasonable storms in the recollection of the oldest inhabitants. Commencing the evening of the 18th, there was a little rain with thunder and lightning, which increased during the night into a regular mid-summer storm and almost died away again in the morning only to return with increased severity about 9 am. In town, the streets were almost white with large hail stones and the downpour was the largest this year. There was thunder and lightning intermittently for about 16 hours.
Rivers - The heaviest storm of thunder and lightning of the season passed over this district the night of the 18th-19th, accompanied by a deluge of rain. A number of phones were put out of commission, but otherwise there was no serious damage.
Russell area - A heavy electrical storm in the evening of the 18th, accompanied by heavy rain. The lightning was very vivid and severe. Four horses were killed by lightning south of town.
Mulvilhill (between Ashern and Eriskdale) - A farm home was burned to the ground during a severe electrical storm which passed over after 5 am on the 19th. No one was home at the time.
Churchbridge SK - A rig in which 4 children were driving to school was struck by lightning. One girl died from its effects and another badly burned.
Rainfall amounts from the storms as follows:
Minnedosa 33.8 mm
Hillview 23.6 mm
Souris 15.2 mm
Brandon CDA 13.7 mm
Virden 12.7 mm
Dauphin 12.2 mm
Swan Lake 11.2 mm
 |
| From the Winnipeg Tribune Oct 20 1920 page 1 |
 |
| From the Rapid City Reporter OCc 21 1920 page 4 |
This post contains information from the Winnipeg Tribune, Winnipeg Free Press, Birtle Eye Witness, Brandon Daily Sun, Dauphin Herald, Glenboro Gazette, Rapid City Reporter, Rivers Gazette, Russell Banner and ECCC.
