SGI receiving hundreds of claims after weekend hail storm

A normal summer day quickly turned into a destructive summer storm Saturday in the northern part of Saskatoon.

Anne Canete says she had just arrived at Costco in the north of the city when the storm began.

“I was so scared and so bothered because we felt like the car is going to get tossed because sometimes the wind was very strong,” Canete said.

While the hail didn’t last long, it did damage her four-month-old car. Other Costco customers also returned to their vehicles covered with dents.

As a result, SGI is already receiving hundred of claims.

“We have received about 300 auto claims related to the hail,” SGI Manager of Media Relations Tyler McMurchy said. “It’s not an overwhelming amount but it is a substantial number.”

SGI expects that number to grow throughout the week. Claims can be submitted online, in person or over the phone.

Now that we’re in the heart of severe weather season, the thunderstorms and hail could last until roughly the end of July.

“What’s unusual is the last two years, which have been drought years and we haven’t seen a lot of thunderstorm activities so I think people forget that what we are getting right now is much more typical than what we got the last two years.” Environment and Climate Change Canada meteorologist Terri Lang said.

Lang says severe weather is hard to predict and to take precautions when alerts are in place.

As for Canete, she says she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“Even today I got scared already going out of the house so I always check the weather now,” Canete.