Chinook Weather Analytics
Hail Season LedgerNo. 21 · Week ending 27 September 2026
Hail Season Ledger · Prairie provincesData to 27 September 2026
A late Alberta storm closes the season 9 per cent above average
Three events this week added 4,600 square kilometres of hail footprint, most of it from one storm east of Red Deer. Central Alberta ends the season with the largest footprint against its average of any territory
1The season by territory
Alberta carried the season. Its South and Central territories hold 34,300 square kilometres of footprint, nearly half the Prairie total, and both finished well above their averages. Saskatchewan North, the Peace and Manitoba finished below average after a dry July.1
| Territory | Events | Footprint | Verified reports | Footprint vs average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta South | 41 | 18,400 | 2,310 | 122% |
| Alberta Central | 37 | 15,900 | 2,950 | 131% |
| Alberta North and Peace | 14 | 4,200 | 610 | 92% |
| Saskatchewan South | 33 | 16,700 | 1,880 | 104% |
| Saskatchewan North | 22 | 8,300 | 1,240 | 87% |
| Manitoba | 19 | 7,100 | 1,010 | 96% |
| Prairies | 166 | 70,600 | 10,000 | 109% |
Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada radar and warnings, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba crop reports, municipal notices, Chinook Weather Analytics verified reports and estimates
Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada radar and warnings, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba crop reports, municipal notices, Chinook Weather Analytics verified reports and estimates
2This week's events
Event 164 tracked east from Red Deer County on the afternoon of 21 September and is the largest event recorded after 15 September in the climatology. Municipal notices from two counties report damage to standing canola and to buildings, and the latest Alberta crop report names hail losses in the region.
| Event | Date | Territory | Largest hail | Reports | Footprint |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 164 | 21 Sep | Alberta Central | 50 mm | 340 | 3,100 |
| 165 | 22 Sep | Alberta South | 32 mm | 96 | 1,100 |
| 166 | 24 Sep | Saskatchewan South | 19 mm | 21 | 400 |
| Week | 21 to 24 Sep | Three territories | 50 mm | 457 | 4,600 |
Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada radar and warnings, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba crop reports, municipal notices, Chinook Weather Analytics verified reports and estimates
3Damage evidence and corrections
We attach public damage evidence to an event only when a crop report, municipal notice or provincial announcement names the area and date. This season 67 of 166 events carry it. Three earlier records were revised this week, and the first published values remain in the ledger beside the revisions.2
Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada radar and warnings, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba crop reports, municipal notices, Chinook Weather Analytics verified reports and estimates
| Event | Field | First published | Revised | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 141 | Footprint, sq km | 2,400 | 2,150 | Radar reanalysis |
| 152 | Largest hail | 38 mm | 45 mm | Late verified reports |
| 158 | Damage evidence | None | Confirmed | Municipal notice |
Source: Chinook Weather Analytics ledger revision record, week ending 27 September 2026
4Against our climatology
5What comes next
This is the last weekly edition of the season. Final provincial crop reports in October may add damage evidence to earlier events, and the closing edition in November will reconcile late verified reports and publish the final season totals by territory.
How this ledger is built
- An event is a continuous hail swath from radar, assigned to the territory where its largest verified hail fell
- Footprint is the area of radar estimated hail of 20 mm or more, checked against verified ground reports
- Revisions never overwrite a record, and every first published value stays in the ledger with its reason for change
Approved for subscribersGraham KowalchukLead Meteorologist · 29 September 2026
1 An event that crosses a territory boundary is counted once, in the territory of its largest verified hail, while its footprint is split between territories.
2 Damage evidence records that public sources report damage. It is not a loss estimate and does not replace an adjuster's assessment.