News
Hail claim stats continue to track within five-year average
July 24, 2014 - The past two weeks have seen a significant increase in storm activity across Western Canada, according to the Canadian Crop Hail Association's lastest hail report.
A series of hail events in the second week of July resulted in wide-spread damage across Alberta and Saskatchewan and some activity in Manitoba, but overall claim numbers continue to track just below the five-year average for this time.
Alberta
Hail storms throughout Alberta over the past two weeks have resulted in wide-spread claims across the province, with damage ranging from slight to heavy. High winds and tornado warnings accompanied many of the cells that swept through Alberta during this time period. As crops mature and harvest begins, producers with hail damage are reminded to contact their local agency for advice about leaving appropriate check strips for claim inspections.
Major storm dates and locations for this reporting period included:
July 6: Lomond, Milo, Arrowwood, High River, Kathyrn, Strathmore and Huxley.
July 9: Lacombe County, Ponoka and Stettler areas, Vegreville, St Paul, Vermilion and Viking, Bentley, Eckville, Ferintosh, Rocky Mountain House, Blackfalds, Alix, Lacombe.
July 10: Claresholm to Milk River, Stirling, Cardston.
July 17: Several storms across central Alberta, including a violent storm track through Rockyview County into Wheatland County with tennis ball-sized stones and high winds. Claims reported from Standard, Huxley, Stettler, Crossfield, Carbon, Hussar, Drumheller, Oyen, Three Hills, Provost, Carstairs, Trochu, Red Deer and Camrose.
July 18: Strathmore.
July 19: Rocky Mountain House through to Dorothy, Swalwell, Three Hills, Carbon, Rosebud and Drumheller.
July 20: Vulcan.
Saskatchewan
Claims from a July 17 storm in the northwest are still being reported at time of release. The storm path included the Denzil, Luseland, Kerrobert, Kelfield, Biggar, Herschel, Marriot, Plenty and Harris areas, and was accompanied by high winds that dramatically increased hail damage. It may prove to be the most significant event to date once all claims have been reported.
Major storm dates and locations for this reporting period included:
July 6: Kelfield, Broderick, Govan.
July 10: Bracken, Swift Current, Orkney, Val Marie, Redvers, Alida, Storthoaks, Manor, Fairlight and Wawota.
July 17: As listed above, and also including Stranraer, Dodsland, Milden and Zealandia.
Manitoba
While Manitoba struggled with devastating flooding through early July, storm activity was relatively quiet, with only minor storms reported. A July 12 storm in the Hamiota and Cardale areas reported large hail stones but limited crop damage. For some farmers in this area, the damage was a second storm on the same acres. Hail claim numbers are on a par with the five-year average to this date.
Storm dates and affected areas during this reporting period included:
July 5: Souris, Pilot Mound, Crystal City, LaRiviere and Hartney.
July 6: Snowflake, Darlingford.
July 10: Binscarth, Waskada.
July 12: Angusville, Cardale, Hamiota, Neepawa, Strathclair, Treherne, Foxwarren, Douglas and McCreary.
July 24, 2014 By Top Crop Manager
