Storm date
August 8, 2026
Reported hail size
Quarter-size (about 2.4 cm), per Environment Canada warning
Insured loss estimate
Not published
Areas reported
Airdrie, Crossfield, Madden, Rocky View County, North and west Calgary edges
We update this page as more information is released.
What happened
On Saturday evening, August 8, 2026, Environment and Climate Change Canada issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Rocky View County near Airdrie and Crossfield, citing quarter-size hail and damaging winds. Radar showed the heaviest part of the storm over Crossfield, Airdrie and Madden, moving east at about 60 km/h, with heavy returns stretching north toward Carstairs and Didsbury and south past Cochrane.
FortisAlberta recorded outages that grew to more than 2,100 customers, concentrated in northwest Airdrie and the surrounding county, along a band from Bearspaw through Balzac to Airdrie. The storm’s edge clipped north and west Calgary.
As of our latest update, no insured-loss estimate has been published for this storm.
Who should check their roof
- homes in Airdrie, especially the northwest and west sides of the city
- Crossfield, Madden and acreages in Rocky View County along the storm track
- homes on the northern and western edges of Calgary and around Bearspaw and Balzac
Quarter-size hail is smaller than the 2020 and 2024 Calgary storms, but it can still damage shingles that are older, already bruised from previous storms, or hit at an angle by wind-driven hail.
What to check today, from the ground
- Metal roof vents and exhaust caps for fresh round dents.
- Eavestroughs and downspouts for dents, and for granules collecting at the bottom.
- Siding and window screens on the west and north sides.
- Shingle pieces or ridge caps in the yard, a sign of wind damage.
- Ceilings upstairs for new stains after the heavy rain.
Our signs of hail damage guide explains what each clue means.
What quarter-size hail does to different roofs
Quarter-size hail, about 2.4 cm, sits near the threshold where asphalt shingles start to take functional damage:
- New, flexible architectural shingles often come through with cosmetic marks only.
- Roofs 10 to 20 years old, brittle and already granule-thin, are much more likely to be bruised.
- Roofs already hit in earlier storms may have damage this storm made worse.
- Class 4 shingles are rated for much larger hail and usually come through fine, though vents and gutters can still dent.
- Wind-driven hail hits harder and at an angle, so west- and north-facing slopes and siding usually show the most damage.
That’s why two neighbours can get very different answers after the same storm.
What to do next
- If water is coming in, call [403-XXX-XXXX] for emergency roof tarping.
- If you see signs of damage, book a free hail roof inspection. We will photograph every finding and tell you whether it is worth claiming.
- If there is damage, report it to your insurer with the storm date August 8, 2026. Our Alberta claim guide walks through each step.
- Be cautious with door-to-door crews. Read how to spot storm chasers first.
For background on how often this corridor is hit, see our Airdrie roofing page and the Calgary hail storm history.