A sudden Alberta hailstorm left drivers stranded, smashing windows and damaging homes as ice chunks the size of toonies hammered the region.
A Concert Road Trip Turns Into Chaos
What was supposed to be a fun drive to Calgary for a Creed concert turned into a nightmare for Alyssa Snyder and her boyfriend, Mitchell McAllister. Just 20 minutes after leaving Brooks on Highway 1, their evening plans came to a sudden stop when the sky darkened and unleashed a storm they’ll never forget.
Storm Hits Without Warning
At first, it was only rain and strong winds. But soon the downpour grew so intense Snyder could no longer see the road. Forced to pull over, the couple braced themselves as hailstones—some as large as a toonie—began pounding their car. Within moments, windows shattered, glass sprayed, and their vehicle was under attack.
“It felt like the car was getting hammered from every direction,” Snyder recalled.
Taking Cover Against the Storm
With glass and hail crashing inside, the pair had no choice but to escape. They crouched beside a tire, trying to shield each other from the relentless ice. The storm lasted less than 10 minutes, but in that short span, the damage was staggering.
Snyder was left cut, bruised, and bleeding, while McAllister escaped with a few welts. Their car wasn’t as lucky—five smashed windows, a broken taillight, dents across the hood and roof, and a battered grille told the story of nature’s power.
Limping Back Home
The concert was no longer an option. Soaking wet, the couple crawled back to Brooks at just 30 km/h, water spraying into the car with every passing vehicle. On the way, they noticed power poles down, road signs blown over, and homes scarred by the storm’s fury.
McAllister’s home wasn’t spared either—siding and skirting had been ripped away. The next stop was the hospital, where Snyder’s injuries were checked. Fortunately, no glass remained embedded, though painful bruises appeared the next day.
A Silver Lining Amid the Damage
Amid the chaos, there was one small win. Snyder’s glasses, lost during the storm, were later found bent and twisted. To her relief, an optometry office managed to fix them, and she’s wearing them again.
Though Alberta is no stranger to severe weather, Snyder admitted they underestimated the storm. “We get two or three thunderstorm warnings a week sometimes,” she said. “But I never thought it could turn this extreme.”
