Hail and Rainfall Tear Through Calgary Amid Severe Thunderstorm Warnings for Southern Alberta
Subtitle: Calgary International Airport reports damage from hail and rainfall.
Severe thunderstorm warnings remain in effect for some regions in Alberta after intense hail and rainfall tore through Calgary and other parts of the province on Monday evening. Meteorologists have been tracking a “very dangerous thunderstorm” capable of producing baseball-sized hail, strong wind gusts, and heavy rain.
As of shortly after 9 p.m., the thunderstorm was located in Cheadle and Strathmore, Alta., moving east at 50 km/h. An Alberta Emergency Alert, issued at 7:57 p.m., warned of torrential rain and baseball-sized hail for parts of southern Alberta.
An 8:58 p.m. update advised residents to exercise “extra care and attention,” with the emergency alert in effect for areas including:
- Foothills County near Blackie.
- Vulcan County near Arrowwood, Herronton, and Queenstown.
- Vulcan County near Vulcan and Ensign.
“This is a dangerous and potentially life-threatening situation,” warned Environment Canada. “Extremely large hail can smash windows, destroy property and vehicles, and cause life-threatening injury. Strong wind gusts can toss loose objects, damage weak buildings, break branches off trees, and overturn large vehicles.”
Meteorologist Heather Pimiskern stated that the atmospheric conditions in southern Alberta were primed for severe storms, with the storms positioned east of Calgary and expected to reach the Saskatchewan border.
In Calgary, the largest hail reported was approximately 4.5 centimeters in diameter, roughly the size of a golf ball. The severe weather caused damage at the Calgary International Airport, with a spokesperson confirming that the domestic terminal building was affected by hail and heavy rainfall. No injuries were reported, but delays to inbound and outbound flights are anticipated.
During the storm, travelers Jodie Russett and Emmanuel Ebere experienced delays at the airport, with Ebere stating, “Mother Nature comes calling and I guess we just have to adapt to the situation where we’re just going to stay calm.