Hail storm hammers apple crops in Okanagan; farmer still counting his losses

KELOWNA, B.C. – Apple growers in British Columbia’s Okanagan are counting their losses after a hail storm blew through the region.

The hail storm hit Sunday evening, bringing with it light rain and temperatures in the low teens.

Orchardist Fred Steele says the storm only lasted about 10 minutes but wrecked havoc on his gala apples

He says he had 20 bins of apples in his orchard and the hail damaged the top eight to 10 centimetres of apples in the bins.

Steele says apples still hang from his trees but he has yet to determine how many were damaged in the storm, although one neighbour may have lost 60 per cent of his crop.

Hail storms are an unusual event at this time of year, with Steele noting they’re typically over by the middle of September. (CKFR)