Parts of southern Saskatchewan were hammered by thunderstorms Thursday afternoon with some areas pelted with golf ball-sized hail.
Katrina Hansen was outside with her two-year-old daughter and mother-in-law in the Lumsden, Sask., area just before the storm hit.
“It got really dark and the thunder started to boom so we decided we’ll just go inside and it started raining,” Hansen said.
“And probably within about 30 seconds after it started raining, the hail started coming. I saw the first big one hit the ground and it looks like about the size of a golf ball, and my stomach just dropped.”
Hansen said the hail continued for about 10 minutes.
“It was like Timbit- to golf ball-size hail just pelting everything,” she said.
Late Thursday afternoon Environment Canada issued severe thunderstorm warnings for the area that were producing very strong wind gusts, toonie to ping pong ball-sized hail and heavy rain.
When Hansen, who runs a micro-flower farm called Yarrow and Rye, looked outside she was devastated.
Golf ball-sized hail caused extensive damage in the Lumsden, Sask., area on the evening of June 26, 2025.
“I have a huge garden in my backyard and it has just been completely shredded,” she said.
She went for a walk around town and said there is damage everywhere.
“There’s fallen branches and debris everywhere. Everybody’s cars are dinged. It’s just awful,” she said.
Hansen is going to do a more extensive assessment of her garden to assess the damage and salvage what she can. She is hopeful it’s early enough in the season that everything will grow back.
Katrina Bostock has lived in Lumsden her whole life.
Bostock moved to her home on Prospect Crescent in July 2019. She said they have had severe thunderstorms in the past, “but nothing like that.”
“We heard it coming down and I just thought to myself, there’s not going to be anything left,” Bostock said.
Her beautiful garden has been torn apart by “golf ball” sized hail and her Jeep has marks all over the hood.
Bostock said she hasn’t assessed what’s left yet because she is still too upset.
“It feels like we took the brunt end of it up here.”
