The rat-a-tat of hail was echoing through the terminal as Quinn White made her way to a gate at the Calgary International Airport on Monday evening.

As she rounded a corner, there was a more disconcerting sound: running water.

White posted a video to social media showing water raining from the ceiling and what appears to be sodden pieces of ceiling tile in a puddle by a boarding gate.

害羞草研究所淭here were pieces of ceiling tile, kind of drywall ceiling tile, that were quite literally falling and hitting the ground,害羞草研究所� she said Tuesday from Calgary, where she was stranded and trying to get home to Campbell River, B.C. She was en route from Chicago after going to the Lollapalooza music festival.

害羞草研究所淚 was talking to a young girl who said she could feel dripping on her head, and she stood up. And as she stood up, the piece of the ceiling fell where she was sitting. So she was really lucky to get out of the way in time.害羞草研究所�

Part of the domestic terminal building at the airport remained closed Tuesday due to water damage from hail and heavy rain that pummelled the area a day earlier. But the airport said flights were still operating out of other gates.

害羞草研究所淲e understand the impact this weather event has had on our guests and partners and are working closely with partners to adapt and minimize disruptions,害羞草研究所� the airport said in a social media post.

害羞草研究所淲e continue to assess damage and thank everyone for their patience and co-operation as we adapt operations. A huge thank you to the operations staff who responded quickly to ensure impacted areas were evacuated.害羞草研究所�

White said there were about 100 people standing around the terminal wondering what to do and it took about half an hour before they got any instruction.

害羞草研究所淎t one point, the fire alarm started going off, so we were wondering if we were going to get evacuated,害羞草研究所� said White.

害羞草研究所淏ut even then, when you would ask staff, who were standing around essentially watching it happen with us, all they would say is, 害羞草研究所榃e don害羞草研究所檛 know.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

Eventually, White says someone told travellers to head to another gate. But her B.C.-bound flight was cancelled due to the weather within 20 minutes of its scheduled departure. She was booked on another one for Tuesday night.

In the meantime, White said she had to pay out-of-pocket for a hotel.

Environment Canada issued a severe thunderstorm warning for parts of south-central Alberta late Monday. The weather agency warned of powerful wind gusts, baseball-sized hail and torrential rain.

Monday害羞草研究所檚 torrent ranks among the top three most impressive storms that Brittany Kennedy, a storm chaser with the Canadian division of a group called Team Dominator, has experienced in her seven-year career.

She and other chasers perched on a hill at Cochrane, northwest of Calgary, as the storm gathered.

害羞草研究所淭he rotation was spectacular and the hail core was incredible. So we were waiting for a tornado to drop,害羞草研究所� she said. There were no reports of a tornado, but it was a formidable storm nonetheless, she added.

The chasers dispersed and Kennedy said she headed south toward Calgary in her Mazda 3, successfully dodging hailstones along the way.

害羞草研究所淭he further east I went, I noticed that more houses were missing pieces of siding,害羞草研究所� she said.

She also saw cars with dents and broken windows, piles of hail and lakes of water on the road. Some hailstones were bigger than golf balls where she was, she said, but she suspects there were even bigger chunks farther east.

害羞草研究所淭here were car accidents, because once you害羞草研究所檙e driving on hail, it害羞草研究所檚 like ice. So if you don害羞草研究所檛 slow down, you害羞草研究所檒l drive all over the place,害羞草研究所� she said.

Monday害羞草研究所檚 storm aside, it害羞草研究所檚 been a quiet few months, said Kennedy.

害羞草研究所淭his is kind of like the big one of the summer.害羞草研究所�

The Insurance Bureau of Canada said in a news release Tuesday that hailstorms and other natural disasters are becoming more frequent and severe, especially in Alberta.

害羞草研究所淎t this point in time, it is still too early to provide an accurate picture in terms of insured loss estimates for this severe weather event, but our thoughts are with all those that have been impacted,害羞草研究所� bureau vice-president Aaron Sutherland said.

Insured losses from hail damage have totalled nearly $3 billion between 2019 and 2023, the bureau said. A June 2020 Calgary storm resulted in some 70,000 claims and more than $1.3 billion in insured damage.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith wrote on social media that she was saddened by the damage and linked to the insurance bureau害羞草研究所檚 news release.

害羞草研究所淗opefully, everyone can have their damage assessed and repaired in a timely manner,害羞草研究所� she said.

害羞草研究所淭he insurance industry is deploying additional resources to respond to their customers and get life back to normal.害羞草研究所�

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 6, 2024.

Lauren Krugel, The Canadian Press