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No matter how many years pass, Black Friday will never be forgotten. No other tornado in the province’s history cost more lives or caused so much devastation.

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Photo by TOM BRAID / EDMONTON SUN

In the days leading up to July 31, 1987, Albertans sweltered through record high temperatures with little respite when the sun went down. It’s hard to sleep when it’s still 21 C at 1 a.m.

Oppressive heat is nothing new to the Prairies and would have been bearable had it not been for the sticky, sweaty humidity hovering around 70 to 80 per cent.

Just before 2:59 p.m. that Friday near Edmonton, the temperature dropped 7 C, the relative humidity peaked at 93 per cent and strong winds blew in from the south. The clouds began to dance.

When that warm, moist air hit cooler air coming in from the west, Leduc-area farmer Tom Taylor saw the funnel cloud.

Also a weather spotter, he called Environment Canada to explain what he had witnessed.

He hung up the phone and ran to his loft.