An Aug. 20, 2025 hail and wind storm carved a 15-km-wide, 200-km-long “hail scar” across southern Alberta, visible in NASA satellite imagery. The storm devastated about 425,000 acres of crops and grassland, with severe impacts near Brooks, and recovery may take a year or more.

A fast-moving supercell brought golf ball-sized hail and 113 km/h winds to Brooks, Alberta, toppling power lines, damaging homes, vehicles and crops, and killing two animals at a local fun farm. Cleanup continued Thursday as highways were disrupted and about 1,000 customers remained without power.

Some welcome new visitors have recently appeared in a southeastern Alberta park — otters.

Adam Turnbull found the fish growing around a ring of plastic.