Storms across southern Manitoba on Aug. 13-14 have brought the province up to a near-average year for hail claims, a Prairie hail insurers’ group reports.
The Canadian Crop Hail Association on Friday otherwise reported a continuing light year for hail activity, with Alberta still below average and Saskatchewan posting the “lightest year (for claims) that anyone can remember.”
However, the association noted, “with crops behind normal development in many regions, there is still the potential for severe hail damage should storms develop.”
The association’s members in Manitoba reported the total number of claims so far this season at about 1,750, more than double the number two weeks earlier.
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The storms Aug. 13-14 produced hail across the province’s south, hitting areas in the southwest including Melita, Birtle, Miniota, Brandon, Hamiota, Oak River, Boissevain, Deloraine and Hartney through Somerset, Notre Dame de Lourdes, Starbuck and La Salle and as far east as Niverville.
Some fields near La Salle and Brandon saw 100 per cent crop loss in the heart of the storms, which at those points produced “baseball-sized” hailstones, the association said.
Alberta claims so far this season total over 1,800, up about 550 from two weeks earlier but well down from 4,650 at this time last year, the association said Friday.
Storms hit Mornville, Busby, Legal and Torrington on Aug. 18 and Westlock and Vermilion on Aug. 22.
Saskatchewan so far this season has reported almost 3,300 hail claims, up about 900 from two weeks earlier but down from about 18,000 at this time last year, the association said Friday.
The province is seeing what may be its lightest year in memory for hail following record hail claims and payouts during the 2008 growing season, the association noted.
Storms produced some hail Aug. 13 near Humboldt and Kamsack, further south on Aug. 14 around Redvers, Rocanville, Alida and Whitewood, and on Aug. 18 around Rosetown, Unity, Gravelbourg, Leader and Burstall, but no one area saw a “large amount” of hail.
