Hail pounds parts of central Alberta on Sunday

Five minutes away in Gasoline Alley, the hail was just as big, but damage to homes and other property was mostly non-existent.

According to Environment and Climate Change Canada, the storm, which had been warned about, unleashed the damaging hail from Springbrook to Wainwright — a stretch of nearly 300 km.

James Colangelo, a meteorologist, says the thunderstorm began to develop around the Foothills, moving northeast from Sundre

“The first severe storm that produced hail was in and around the Red Deer area around 4 p.m. The biggest hail we saw was about golf ball-sized,” says Colangelo.

“Later, around 6:30, in the Ardley area (49 km east of Red Deer), we saw hailstones as big as golf balls again.”

Just northwest of Crossfield, around 6:30, there were reports of quarter-sized hail, he adds.

“The biggest report was from Czar around 7:30 where there was hen egg-sized hail, or about five centimetres in diameter.”

Colangelo also shared there was at least one report of a funnel cloud in the Czar area around the same time.

The village of Czar is located about 280 km due east of Red Deer, with the town of Wainwright about 45 km north of Czar.

Large hail on the ground south of Czar Alberta August 23 7:35 PM #abstorm pic.twitter.com/kacWTRXnoc

— Trenten Pentelichuk (@Trenten_WX) August 24, 2026

Meanwhile, the extent of the financial toll, including damage to homes, vehicles and even crops, is to be determined.

“AFSC is receiving claims from the hailstorm on August 23. It is too early to know the full scope of the damage as clients continue to scout for damage and file claims,” George Kueber, manager of adjusting services at the Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC).

“Claims will likely continue to come in over the next few days. Clients have 14 days after a storm to report hail damage to AFSC.”

More information is anticipated in the weeks to come.

by Josh Hall

Hail pounds parts of central Alberta on Sunday

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