Features Agronomy Harvesting
Leave check strips when harvesting

Aug. 7, 2015 - Harvest is already underway in areas of the Prairies and is ahead of the average for this date in some drought-stricken regions of southern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan.

Check strips or swaths must be left in hail-impacted fields in the event that a crop needs to be harvested before the adjuster arrives. Heavy rains hampered inspection efforts in some areas during the last week of July, increasing the need to be aware of the requirements. Farmers should check company websites or contact their insurance company for advice about leaving appropriate check strips.

Alberta
Since the last report, some major storm cells caused widespread damage across the province. A July 21 storm system that originated in the Rocky Mountain House area impacted communities across the province in a line through to the Lloydminster area. Excessive amounts of hail covered the ground in some areas, with reports of baseball-sized stones and severe damage to crops, buildings and vehicles in the area of Lacombe County. Other areas reported golf ball-sized stones, driven by strong winds and accompanied by 1 to 2 inches of rain.

Another severe storm struck on July 22, starting west of Calgary and sweeping through Rockyview and Wheatland counties and on into Saskatchewan. Hail stones ranged in size from pea to golf ball size, with moderate winds and rainfall anywhere from .2 to 2 inches.

Major storm dates and locations for this reporting period included:
July 20: Rosemary, Coaldale, Lethbridge, Del Bonita
July 21: Rocky Mountain House, Eckville, Benalto, Cremona, Bentley, Lacombe, Tees, Stettler, Crossfield, Warburg, Ferintosh, Clive, Irma, Lloydminster
July 22: Drumheller, Dalum, Crossfield, Rosebud
July 23: Mirror, Carstairs, Alix High River Okotoks, Innisfree, Lloydminster
July 24: Lacombe, Erskine
July 25: Red Deer County, Provost
July 26: Madden, Crossfield, Cremona
July 27: Red Deer
July 29: Eckville, Bentley

Saskatchewan
Claims in Saskatchewan remain within the five-year average for the province. Claims were reported for every day from July 21 through 29, with the most significant hail events occurring on July 22 and July 25. The July 22 hail storm had a devastating effect on a number of Saskatchewan communities, and resulted in a state of emergency being declared in Kerrobert.

Major storm dates and locations for this reporting period included:
July 22: Areas of the northwest including Lloydminster, Marshall, Maidstone, Shellbrook, Edam, Mervin, Meota; an area from Major to Luseland, Kerrobert, Coleville, Ruthilda, Tramping Lake, Unity, Handel, Wilkie, Biggar, Rosetown and Landis to Sonningdale, Radisson and on to Vanscoy, Asquith, Langham and Saskatoon, Carrot River, Richardson, Sedley, Weyburn, Handel
July 25: Unity, Battleford, North Battleford, Unity, Rockhaven, Mayview, Prince Albert, Melfort, Shellbrook, Spruce Home
July 27: Redvers, Rockglen, Coronach, Fife Lake, Carlyle
July 28: Melfort
July 29: Swift Current

Manitoba
Hail claim activity across Manitoba remains just above the five-year average for this time of year. With a few weeks left until general harvest conditions, there is the potential for a much higher than average hail year.

Storms on July 23 and August 2 resulted in widespread crop damage. In both storms, there were reports of hail damage that varied dramatically across fields, from light damage to total loss on the same quarter.

Major storm dates and locations for this reporting period included:
July 23: Cartwright, Fannystelle, Holland, Killarney, Notre Dame De Lourdes, Roblin, Rossburn, Swan Lake, Treherne
July 24: Nesbitt
July 25: St. Claude, Wawanesa, Carol
July 26: Gladstone, Notre Dame De Lourdes, Rathwell, Minto, Fairfax, Boissevain,
St. Claude, Treherne
July 28: St. Joseph
August 1: Altona, Killarney, Margaret, Pilot Mound
August 2: Emerson north along the Red River to Lettelier and Morris; Minto, Elgin

August 7, 2015  By Canadian Crop Hail Association