Matt Berry was driving home after golfing Monday evening when cloudy skies quickly turned into a rare storm that dropped hail the size of softballs, caving in his windshield and leaving about 150 dents in his car. “I was getting covered in shards of glass,” the graphic designer said as he recalled the moment he pulled over on a country road to take cover while driving from Innisfail, Alta., to his home in Red Deer, Alta. “The noise was quite loud,” he said. “It was just crazy.
Scary at times, but really it was just shock and awe more than anything.” Read more: Severe Alberta weather leaves cars damaged, lined up along the highway Environment and Climate Change Canada said Wednesday that the pieces of hail that fell in central Alberta ranged from the size of peas, dimes, nickels, golf balls, hen eggs, tennis balls, baseballs and softballs.
The Innisfail, Pine Lake, Condor, Rimbey and Ferrier areas were all hit, the agency said. Environment Canada had issued a tornado watch hours before the storm, warning large hail might fall later in the evening and cause a dangerous and potentially life-threatening situation.
At about 6 p.m., an alert was sent that warned people to take immediate cover. Videos on social media were posted after the storm of drivers on Queen Elizabeth II Highway _ the main route between Edmonton and Calgary _ pulled over and covering their heads as hail loudly smashed through their windows.