Researchers from Western University in London, Ontario, led by Julian Brimelow, are conducting studies on hailstorms in Alberta using a replica of a large hailstone. The team aims to enhance their understanding and prediction of hailstorm occurrences in Alberta to minimize damage to crops and property.
Brimelow emphasized the severity of hailstorms in Alberta, stating that the damage potential is more significant than initially anticipated. He highlighted a recent incident where a hailstorm destroyed corn crops to the extent that they were unrecognizable due to being severely damaged.
Referred to as “Hailstorm Alley,” the region spanning from High River in southern Calgary to central Alberta experiences over 40 hailstorms annually, resulting in substantial financial losses. Brimelow, the executive director of the Northern Hail Project, described the area as one of the most active hailstorm zones in Canada.
A particular hailstorm that struck Calgary in August caused extensive damage, including hail, strong winds, heavy rain, and localized flooding, affecting a significant portion of homes. The financial toll of the storm was estimated at $2.8 billion by the Insurance Bureau of Canada, making it one of the country’s costliest weather-related disasters.
Notably, the hailstones from these storms can reach sizes comparable to golf balls, causing damage to infrastructure and even resulting in fatalities, such as the unfortunate incidents involving small animals and an infant in previous years. The research involves collecting hailstones from the scenes, preserving them for analysis, and creating replicas for further examination.
Jack Hamilton, the team’s field coordinator, emphasized the importance of studying hailstone characteristics to understand the internal mechanisms of storms. The researchers use specially equipped vehicles to chase and collect hailstones, focusing on gathering valuable data to enhance their research insights.