Golf-ball-sized hail reported in parts of Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
A powerful series of storm systems that swept across the Prairie provinces is expected to generate a substantial number of crop hail insurance claims in the days ahead.
Tyson Ryhorchuk, Vice-President with Rain and Hail Insurance Service and President of the Canadian Crop Hail Association, says the storm track stretched from north of Brooks, Alberta, through Saskatchewan and into western Manitoba, bringing intense hail and heavy rainfall.
"The storm system carried some pretty thick and heavy hail," Ryhorchuk said.
Large Hail Reported Across Multiple Regions
According to Ryhorchuk, hail sizes varied considerably depending on location. While many producers experienced pea-sized hail around the edges of storm cells, larger hail measuring up to golf-ball size was reported in the storm's core.
He says damage reports are coming in from southwest Saskatchewan, some areas near Swift Current received smaller hailstones, but in extremely high volumes.
"The accumulation was significant enough that it resembled snow on the ground and could result in substantial crop losses."
Areas from southeastern Saskatchewan to western Manitoba were particularly hard hit.
Ryhorchuk says locations extending east of Alameda, Saskatchewan, toward Brandon and Killarney, Manitoba, reported some of the largest hailstones.
Crop Damage Expected to Vary
Assessing damage may prove challenging because crop development stages vary significantly across the Prairies this year.
Delayed seeding and uneven crop growth mean some canola fields are still in the cabbage stage while others are already flowering. As a result, the impact of hail may differ substantially from one field to the next.
Ryhorchuk says adjusters will need time to accurately determine losses.
Excess Moisture Creating Additional Challenges
The storms arrive after weeks of persistent rainfall across many Prairie regions.
Ryhorchuk says saturated fields, muddy roads and localized flooding are making it more difficult for adjusters to access damaged properties.
"The amount of rainfall that we've been seeing here is not typical of what we've been seeing over the past several years," he said.
Industry Preparing for Increased Claim Volumes
The hail industry is preparing for a surge in claims as producers report damage from the latest storms start rolling in.
Ryhorchuk says adjusters are working as quickly as possible, but producers may experience some delays because of both the high claim volume and challenging travel conditions, such as flooded roads and washouts from previous storms.
He is encouraging farmers to remain patient while assessments are completed.
"We are doing everything we can as an industry to make sure that we're getting these claims attended to as quickly as possible," he said.
Source - https://centralalbertaonline.com
