In what’s been a hot, fire-filled start for summer in B.C.’s Interior, along comes news of a hail storm that pelted a small community in the Kootenays.
On its Facebook page, the Columbia Valley Chamber of Commerce posted four photos of hail in Invermere, B.C., including two showing the ground completely covered by frozen precipitation.
Located in the East Kootenay regional district, and not far from the Alberta border, Invermere is about a 90-minute drive north of Cranbrook.
Pete Bourke, executive director with the chamber of commerce, said the hail fell on Friday afternoon.
“It pretty much came out of nowhere, and it was quite strange as several different places in the valley had different experiences,” Bourke told Global News.
He said the Invermere corridor seemed to get all the hail and intense rain, while Radium had wind and Windermere had little.
“It was a unique one,” he said.
Friday’s hail seemed out of place when compared with other regions in B.C., with temperatures in the low-to-mid 30s, along with raging wildfires and smoky skies.
“Indeed,” Bourke said of the odd weather. “We expected some rain, but the hail was definitely a surprise.
“Unfortunately, there were several home and small commercial gardens that bore the brunt of that. Some came out a little less scathed, but it certainly caught us by surprise.”
Following the hail storm, the weather quickly turned, with sunny and calm skies.
Video of the melting hail can be seen here.
And with the hail now long gone, Bourke said the chamber is looking forward to a safe and prosperous summer, with B.C. now in Phase 3 of its restart plan.
“Obviously we still have to be careful,” he said, “but it’s great that we’re moving in the right direction.”
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