Latest news with #KyleBrittain
Yahoo
a day ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Hailstorm hits Calgary, residents share photos of the aftermath
A fast-moving storm brought hail the size of golf balls, winds above 90 km/h, damage to trees and localized power outages into the Calgary area on Sunday. Northeast Calgary experienced wind gusts of up to 93 km/h around 8 p.m., according to Environment Canada. Kyle Brittain, a freelance climate journalist, told CBC's The Homestretch on Monday that the storm came from the foothills northwest of Cochrane into the Calgary area, before it hit Chestermere and Langdon, and other communities southeast of the city before dissipating in Vulcan County. "It was a very fast-moving storm. It was hard to keep up with, and a very stunning-looking storm as it was travelling east of Calgary, quite ominous I think as well as it was entering the city," said Brittain. LISTEN | Weather expert talks Sunday hailstorm and Monday rain warning in Calgary: The storm was followed by a rainfall warning in Calgary the next day, which Environment and Climate Change Canada projected on Monday morning would bring 50 to 80 mm throughout the day. North Haven resident Barb Heeb said Sunday's storm started quietly before it picked up so much in her neighbourhood that she couldn't see the houses across the street. "The wind, the rain, the hail was just incredible. And all the trees were losing all their leaves," Heeb said on Monday. "It was just chaos. And then all the flooding came as well, and it's even worse today because of the rain." WATCH: Thunderstorm hits Calgary hard: Heeb said she and several of her neighbours have called the city for assistance because of the amount of water in the community on Monday. Calgary's Water Services said stormwater crews have been responding to drainage-related 311 calls, including incidents where storm debris blocked stormwater inlets. Parks and Open Spaces at the city reported on Monday the storm had broken branches, foliage and bark off trees. They said park crews were responding as needed, and watering operations were suspended for a few days because of the rain. Andy Wolff was in the Calgary Winter Club when he heard what sounded like breaking glass. It quickly dawned on him it was a hailstorm, and he ran to check on his car. "I almost had the wind knock me off my feet," Wolff said. "When I came out of the parking lot, it was like a blizzard. It was almost going sideways, and sweeping across the parking lot. It was incredible. Mother nature just opened up." Tara Schneider, a resident of Calgary's northwest Thorncliffe neighbourhood, said the hail seemed to shred the greenery around her yard, and the hail looked like it was blowing at a 90-degree angle. But what was even more memorable, Schneider said, was the loud gusts of wind. "The sound alone made us think initially that we were in a tornado. I've never heard that sound before from a storm," Schneider said. "We're not sure if we have any property damage. We have to do some clean-up today to investigate that, but I wished I wouldn't have washed the windows on Saturday." Below is a collection of photos submitted to CBC Calgary from residents who experienced the hailstorm. Have photos of the hailstorm? Send them to calgaryphotos@
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Hailstorm hits Calgary, residents share photos of the aftermath
A fast-moving storm brought hail the size of golf balls, winds above 90 km/h, damage to trees and localized power outages into the Calgary area on Sunday. Northeast Calgary experienced wind gusts of up to 93 km/h around 8 p.m., according to Environment Canada. Kyle Brittain, a freelance climate journalist, told CBC's The Homestretch on Monday that the storm came from the foothills northwest of Cochrane into the Calgary area, before it hit Chestermere and Langdon, and other communities southeast of the city before dissipating in Vulcan County. "It was a very fast-moving storm. It was hard to keep up with, and a very stunning-looking storm as it was travelling east of Calgary, quite ominous I think as well as it was entering the city," said Brittain. LISTEN | Weather expert talks Sunday hailstorm and Monday rain warning in Calgary: The storm was followed by a rainfall warning in Calgary the next day, which Environment and Climate Change Canada projected on Monday morning would bring 50 to 80 mm throughout the day. North Haven resident Barb Heeb said Sunday's storm started quietly before it picked up so much in her neighbourhood that she couldn't see the houses across the street. "The wind, the rain, the hail was just incredible. And all the trees were losing all their leaves," Heeb said on Monday. "It was just chaos. And then all the flooding came as well, and it's even worse today because of the rain." WATCH: Thunderstorm hits Calgary hard: Heeb said she and several of her neighbours have called the city for assistance because of the amount of water in the community on Monday. Calgary's Water Services said stormwater crews have been responding to drainage-related 311 calls, including incidents where storm debris blocked stormwater inlets. Parks and Open Spaces at the city reported on Monday the storm had broken branches, foliage and bark off trees. They said park crews were responding as needed, and watering operations were suspended for a few days because of the rain. Andy Wolff was in the Calgary Winter Club when he heard what sounded like breaking glass. It quickly dawned on him it was a hailstorm, and he ran to check on his car. "I almost had the wind knock me off my feet," Wolff said. "When I came out of the parking lot, it was like a blizzard. It was almost going sideways, and sweeping across the parking lot. It was incredible. Mother nature just opened up." Tara Schneider, a resident of Calgary's northwest Thorncliffe neighbourhood, said the hail seemed to shred the greenery around her yard, and the hail looked like it was blowing at a 90-degree angle. But what was even more memorable, Schneider said, was the loud gusts of wind. "The sound alone made us think initially that we were in a tornado. I've never heard that sound before from a storm," Schneider said. "We're not sure if we have any property damage. We have to do some clean-up today to investigate that, but I wished I wouldn't have washed the windows on Saturday." Below is a collection of photos submitted to CBC Calgary from residents who experienced the hailstorm. Have photos of the hailstorm? Send them to calgaryphotos@
CBC
11-06-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Smoke blankets Calgary area as air quality warning urges caution
The wildfire-induced smoke currently blanketing the Calgary area, is so bad Environment Canada is telling people to go back inside, in an air quality warning issued early Wednesday. "During heavy smoke conditions, everyone's health is at risk regardless of their age or health status," the agency said. "Limit time outdoors. Reschedule or cancel outdoor sports, activities and events." Weather expert Kyle Brittain said we are experiencing an accumulation. "This smoke has been generated over several days," Brittain told the Calgary Eyeopener Wednesday morning. The Calgary Eyeopener 's original plans for a walking show through Bowness had to be cancelled at the last minute because of the air quality. "We've got a number of massive wildfires burning across the landscape from northeastern British Columbia to northwestern Ontario. The fires in northeastern BC and northern Alberta have been smoking the last few days and they have generated this massive reservoir of smoke that is sitting over a lot of the continent. A lot of this smoke has hitched a ride in the jet stream over to Europe causing the sun to look red over there, so it is everywhere," Brittain said. Fire bans issued or expanded in parts of Alberta 2 days ago Duration 1:02 Fire bans are being imposed across Alberta as dry winds and warm weather increase the risk of wildfires throughout the province. The restrictions now include areas surrounding Calgary. Environment Canada is recommending masks. "If you must spend time outdoors, limit the time as much as possible," EC said. "A well-constructed, well-fitting and properly worn respirator type mask (such as a NIOSH-certified N95 or equivalent respirator) can reduce your exposure to the fine particles in the smoke. Even though exposure may be reduced, there can still be risks to health."
