September 7, 1991 - The Hailstorm That Served Up Tennis Balls

Calgary was bombarded with hailstones the size of tennis balls - for nearly 30 minutes.

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On the afternoon of Sept. 7, 1991, a severe hailstorm pounded the City of Calgary, Alta. for 30 minutes with hailstones the size of tennis balls!

The Labour Day storm damaged homes and cars, split open trees, destroyed crops - and even crushed birds. Homeowners filed more than 100,000 insurance claims totaling C$342 million dollars.

At the time, it was the most expensive hailstorm in Canadian history. Until the 98 ice storm, it was the most expensive natural disaster in Canada.

On today’s podcast, Chris Mei explains how hail is formed and the damage that it can cause.

This Day In Weather History” is a daily podcast by The Weather Network that features unique and informative stories from host Chris Mei.