QUICK FACTS
The place is it? Brooks, southern Alberta, Canada [50.586757475, -112.12895463]
What’s within the photograph? A 125-mile-long “scar” left behind by a harmful hail storm
Which satellite tv for pc took the photograph? NASA’s Aqua satellite tv for pc
When was it taken? Aug. 24, 2025
This putting satellite tv for pc picture highlights the aftermath of a serious hailstorm in Alberta, Canada, which carved a large “scar” within the panorama, round half so long as the Grand Canyon. The acute occasion, which pelted the bottom with golf ball-size ice chunks, killed not less than two animals.
Whereas the storm produced few lightning strikes, it triggered a severe hailstorm and excessive winds that brought about widespread harm to homes, autos and infrastructure. A number of the hailstones reached a most diameter of two inches (5 centimeters), and the related winds reached speeds of over 75 mph (120 km/h) — equal to a Class 1 hurricane, in response to The Climate Community.
Along with damaging property, the large balls of falling ice hammered into the bottom and tore up vegetation. The outcome was a roughly 125-mile-long (200 kilometer) and 9-mile-wide (15 km) scar etched throughout the panorama, which was clearly seen from area.
Associated: See all one of the best photos of Earth from area
The worst-affected space was round Brooks, a small metropolis positioned round 100 miles (160 km) southeast of Calgary (seen within the prime left of the satellite tv for pc picture). The mixture of supersized hail and excessive winds broken native homes and autos, in addition to wrecking close by energy pylons, a few of which had been bent at a close to 90-degree angle, Canadian information outlet CBC reported.
“The entire entrance of the home is destroyed,” Brooks resident Colleen Foisy instructed CBC. “The entrance fence truly obtained ripped off of the cemented posts. My flowers in my backyard obtained thrown round, branches from the timber. There’s hail harm throughout my truck that is solely a 12 months outdated. The quilt to my boat obtained shredded.”
The excessive winds additionally blew over a big fence on the White Barn Enjoyable Farm, positioned west of Brooks, killing a Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus) and pony that had been “finest pals,” the farm’s proprietor instructed CBC. A horse and several other birds had been additionally injured.
“Hailstorm alley”
Whereas this occasion was excessive, it’s not uncommon for such storms to look on this a part of Alberta, which is usually dubbed “hailstorm alley.”
“The area’s local weather and geography are conducive to storm growth, and the world sometimes sees dozens of hail occasions annually,” Earth Observatory representatives wrote.
During the last 5 years, hailstorm harm in Alberta has totaled greater than 6 billion Canadian {dollars} ($4.3 billion), excluding damages from August’s storm, that are but to be calculated, in response to a latest report from Insurance coverage Enterprise journal.
A number of the folks affected by the latest storm had been nonetheless recovering from an identical occasion in July.
Researchers at NASA’s Langley Analysis Middle are actually engaged on a method of with the ability to higher predict these damaging storms upfront, to assist mitigate their impacts.
“With state-of-the-art identification methods, we are able to quantify extreme storm distribution and frequency with an distinctive stage of consistency that is solely granted by satellite tv for pc measurements,” Benjamin Scarino, a analysis scientist on the heart, instructed Earth Observatory. “Lengthy-term satellite tv for pc information information enable us to supply the reinsurance trade, challenge companions, and the analysis neighborhood with precious insights into extreme storm exercise and danger.”
