Severe Storms in Canada

Thunderstorms, hail, blizzards, ice storms, high winds and heavy rain can develop quickly and threaten life and property. Severe storms occur in all regions of Canada and in all seasons.
Listen to the local radio or television stations for severe weather warnings and advice. Keep a battery-powered or wind-up radio on hand as electricity frequently fails during severe storms.

Types of Storms

• Blizzards
• Hail
• Heavy rain
• Ice storms
• Lightning
• Thunderstorms
• Avalanche

Avalanche
Thousands of avalanches occur in Canada each year. They happen in all regions of Canada, but are more frequent in the mountains of British Columbia, Yukon and Alberta. Avalanches can be triggered by wind, rain, warming temperatures, snow and earthquakes. They can also be triggered by skiers, snowmobiles, hikers, vibrations from machinery or construction.

Avalanche facts

• An avalanche occurs when a layer of snow collapses and slides downhill.
• Avalanches are caused by four factors: a steep slope, snow cover, a weak layer in the snow cover and a trigger.
• Roads and railway tracks may be rerouted to reduce risks.
• Safe avalanches may be triggered in dangerous snow packs.
• Avalanches can travel up to 90 km/h.
• After one hour, only one in three victims buried in an avalanche is found alive. The most common causes of death are suffocation, wounds and hypothermia.

Blizzards

• A blizzard, in general, is a winter storm with winds exceeding 40 km/h with visibility reduced by falling or blowing snow to less than a kilometre and lasting for at least three hours.
• Blizzards come in on a wave of cold arctic air, bringing snow, bitter cold, high winds and poor visibility in blowing snow. While these conditions must last for at least three hours to be designated a blizzard, they may last for several days.
• Poor visibility, low temperatures and high winds combine to create a significant hazard.
• In Canada, blizzards with high winds are most common in the Prairies, eastern Arctic and eastern Ontario.
• Heavy snowfalls are most common in British Columbia, the Atlantic provinces, southern and eastern Quebec and areas around the Great Lakes.
• Freezing rain can occur pretty much anywhere in the country, but is particularly common in Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces.

Hail

• Hailstorms occur across Canada, though they are most frequent in Alberta, the southern Prairies and in southern Ontario.
• Hailstorms occur mostly from May to October.
• Parts of the Prairies can expect up to 10 hailstorms a year.
• For farmers whose crops are crushed, and for others whose homes and cars are damaged, a hailstorm can be a financial disaster.
• Some hailstones are the size of peas while others can be as big as grapefruits.

Heavy rain

• Heavy rainfall can result in flooding. This is particularly true when the ground is still frozen or already saturated from previous storms.
• Floods may also result, especially if heavy rain coincides with the spring thaw. 

Ice storms

• Freezing rain is tough, clings to everything it touches and is more slippery than snow.
• A little freezing rain is dangerous, a lot can be catastrophic.

Lightning

• Lightning occurs when the air becomes charged with electricity during a thunderstorm.
• Bolts of lightning travel at about 40,000 kilometres per second.

Thunderstorms

• Thunderstorms are often accompanied by high winds, hail, lightning, heavy rain and tornadoes.
• Thunderstorms are usually over within an hour, although a series of thunderstorms can last for several hours.

My Thoughts
All these things are very bad when they happen because it affects everyone and everything in a different way and causes damage.
When an avalanche occurs people are trapped and they could be lost and not found, they can die or they can get very injured. Nobody wants to be in an avalanche, and the people who survived one are lucky people and didn't like the experience and will always avoid them.
When blizzards happen it's not fun and people can get injured and hurt. This is a storm you don't want to mess with.
When hail comes down they can be any size and can happen almost anywhere in certain areas. Hail hurts and it's not fun when you are in one or when the hail cause damage to your vehicle or house. The damages cost lots and can be very big.
Heavy rain causes landslides or floods and it take a long time for things to get better and fixed.
Ice storms can be very dangerous because it causes the roads to but wet and frozen and  the roads become slippery and accidents can happen.
Lightening can cause forest fires and can strike anywhere and anyone at any time during a lightening storm.
Thunder storms can have heavy winds, rain, hail, lightening, tornado's and affect anything in it's way.
Any kind of storm is dangerous and should be avoided to avoid loss and damages.