Golf ball-sized hail hits Kindersley as severe weather moves out of Saskatchewan

The long weekend left a big mess to clean up as severe weather swept through southern Saskatchewan.

Environment Canada meteorologist Dan Fulton says severe weather began on Friday when funnel clouds were reported in southwest Saskatchewan. One even touched down in a farmer’s field west of Biggar.

“(Sunday) night we had quite an active system as a cluster of storms developed in west central Saskatchewan and marched across Saskatchewan,” Fulton said Monday morning.

That cluster brought baseball-sized hail to Kindersley, winds reaching 110 kilometres per hour north of Regina, and 24 millimetres – about one inch – of rain in one hour to the Spiritwood area.

“My wife asked what those sounds were – we have tin buildings and a tin roof on the house – you could just hear ‘bang, bang’ and then all of a sudden, when we looked out we could see some big ones hit the ground,” said Curtis Kornelson, who has a farm near Kindersley.

The hail destroyed 1,200 acres of his durum crop Sunday night.

“Our area is known for storms in the past. It’s been quite a few years since the last hail storm of this extent, but we definitely carry hail insurance” said Kornelson.

@PQuinlanGlobal not my pictures but some of the damage in Kindersley following the storm pic.twitter.com/IoYdOzoCoQ

— Jenny Hagan (@JennyLeeHagan) July 4, 2016

Large hail in @Kindersley. #skpoli pic.twitter.com/thEBRtGfCz

— Fifelake (@DaleBurnay) July 4, 2016

Strong wind at Davidson last night this bin blew across Hwy 11 #skstorm pic.twitter.com/T46pOmKEUx

— Cory Dean (@CoryDean88) July 4, 2016

A Buddies #Oldbarn didn’t survive the wind either #skstorm pic.twitter.com/3QOWP4KEuX

— Cory Dean (@CoryDean88) July 4, 2016

Thankful. Didn’t take garage or house! Whew! #skstorm #woodtoburn pic.twitter.com/gsGlCDadAI

— Candace Wankel (@Wankel77) July 4, 2016

Going to hear a few chainsaws today #spiritwood #skstorm pic.twitter.com/dgvN0L4y2e

— Bevra Fee (@saskfemale) July 4, 2016

You’re stil welcome…#spiritwood #skstorm pic.twitter.com/ugbAnWpw5s

— Bevra Fee (@saskfemale) July 4, 2016

Fulton says the storm system will be moving into Manitoba Monday. While both Manitoba and Alberta may see severe weather, Saskatchewan should be in the clear.