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Five Western Canada summer storms considered catastrophes

Aug. 1 storm produced Canadian record hailstone near Markerville
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Western University researchers scooped up a hailstone weighing 292.71 grams (10.3 ounces) following a Monday storm near Markerville. It is the biggest recorded hailstone in Canada. (Photo from Western University Northern Hail Project).

Five storms in Western Canada — including several that hit central Alberta — were designated as catastrophes, in which damage estimates topped $30 million.

A powerful thunderstorm July 7-8 spawned a tornado near Bergen, about 10 km south of Sundre, and vehicles were damaged by hail as far as Ponoka and Oyen. At the same time, Saskatchewan was hit by tornadoes and flash flooding. Those storms caused more than $30 million in damages.

Another series of thunderstorms from July 15-17 shattered windows in Ponoka and created tornadoes in Saskatchewan. The insured damage was estimated over $70 million.

Storms tracked from Alberta to Quebec from July 18-21 produced large hailstones, torrential downpours, flooding and at least one tornado. The damage estimate topped $100 million.

The central Prairies was hit by other storms that did about $40 million in damages from July 29-31.

From Aug. 1-2, central Alberta was firmly in the sights of storms that produced huge hailstones, including a Canadian record-breaker near Markerville. Crops and market gardens were hammered and vehicles on Highway 2 had to pull over with smashed windows and severe denting. Heavy rain, flooding, and wind gusts over 100 km/h combined to create at least $55 million in insured damage.