Your forecast
Mainly cloudy, with a 40 per cent chance of showers, with a risk of a thunderstorm this afternoon. High 23 C. Humidex 28. UV index 7 or high.
Manitobans have been warned to brace themselves for a severe storm season.
“If this pattern holds, it’s going to be probably up in the high end of tornado totals,” said Dave Sills, director of the Northern Tornadoes Project, based out of Western University in London, Ont.
Crews have been swamped assessing the destruction from massive storms across the country. The project has recorded seven tornadoes in Manitoba so far this year and 45 across Canada.
The number of tornadoes thus far is about average, but the pattern of storms doesn’t bode well for the rest of the summer. Nicole Buffie reports.
The tornado that ripped through Rossburn and damaged a home on Sunday was recently upgraded to an EF-3 storm on the Enhanced Fujita scale. (Tim Smith / Brandon Sun files)
What’s happening today
🖼️ Thirty-nine Exchange District restaurants, retailers, museums, artists and galleries are participating in this month’s First Fridays in the Exchange event, 5-9 p.m. at various location, including free and paid events. Find out what’s up.
Today’s must-read
Evacuee Sevanna Delaronde was in disbelief after she and her partner returned to their flooded neighbourhood in Swan River to check on their home Thursday morning.
She estimated their basement was under more than a metre of water from the Swan River, which overflowed following heavy rains and forced the mandatory evacuation of several streets Wednesday afternoon.
“The water breached the windows in the night and the river is still surrounding our place,” an emotional Delaronde said.
Flooding was widespread in the Parkland region, including Dauphin. Swan River and Minitonas were among the places hit for the second time in less than a month. Chris Kitching and Mike Deal have the story.
Water covers farmland between Dauphin and Swan River. (Mike Deal / Free Press)
On the bright side
Tears fill the eyes of an Ojibwa sculptor from Peguis First Nation as he talks about the spiritual journey and deep friendships that came out of creating his first public art piece.
Maamaawi Naanaagadawendamowin, which means Gather Your Heart, was created for the new Kevin Walters Plaza that opened June 26 outside the Burton Cummings Theatre. The piece was commissoned by the Winnipeg Arts Council for the City of Winnipeg Public Art Collection.
Artist Fredrick Spence, along with partners Darren Sakwi and Rob Peristy, who fabricated the metal sculpture, were celebrated for their work Tuesday at the plaza. Tiago Resko has more here.
From left: Darren Sakwi and Rob Peristry of Stainless Concepts and artist Fredrick Spence with their creation, Gather Your Heart. (John Woods / Free Press)
On this date
On July 3, 1970: The Winnipeg Free Press reported Prince Charles kicked off a busy three-day trip to Ottawa by dining with the governor general and taking in his first North American football game. A Manitoba government bill proposing double-time-and-a-half wages for employees who worked on statutory holidays passed through a legislative committee on its way to its third and final reading.
Today’s front page
Get the full story: Read today’s e-edition of the Free Press.
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