Alberta Windstorm Unleashes Unprecedented Destruction in Just Minutes
I just want to take a moment to talk about what we experienced here in Alberta — a windstorm so sudden and fierce, it left behind a trail of destruction that we’ll be talking about for a long time. On Thursday night, in a matter of just four minutes, wind gusts reaching up to 130 km/h ripped through communities from Slave Lake to Red Deer. But the epicenter of the damage? That was between Edmonton and Leduc.
The storm came in fast and powerful, and people barely had time to react. Over at Pigeon Lake, part of the roof at the Cedar Crest Inn was completely torn off. Thankfully, there were shingles underneath the tin roofing, which helped reduce what could’ve been even more catastrophic damage. The Louis Bull Tribe, who run the Inn, the nearby RV park, and the golf course, have been working hard over the last five years to turn the area into a vibrant hub for the community. They had just secured funding and plans to start renovations at the inn — and then this storm hit.
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Shaleigh Raine from the Tribe said they were moving full speed ahead with improvements. First the golf course, then the RV park, and now the inn. The storm came at the worst possible time. Luckily, the inside of the inn didn’t suffer water damage, but the setback is still significant. They’re now aiming to complete renovations by fall 2026.
Residents in the area were shocked. Calvin Macauley, who’s been at Itaska Beach for over 20 years, said he hadn’t seen a storm like this more than once before. He was watching the Oilers game when it struck. Moments later, massive trees fell on a neighbor’s cabin, and docks out on the lake flipped over as if they were toys. The Alberta Emergency Alert arrived on phones about 15 minutes after the worst had passed — a reminder of how fast everything happened.
The damage wasn’t just limited to lakeside communities. At the Edmonton International Airport, high winds caused major disruptions. Debris forced a temporary shutdown of the departure level, and some inbound flights had to be rerouted to Calgary. Structures were damaged, including signage, pedestrian pathways, and parked vehicles. According to airport communications, they haven’t seen winds this strong in over 60 years. Fortunately, no injuries were reported — and that, at least, is something to be grateful for.
This windstorm is a sobering reminder of how quickly nature can take over and change everything. Cleanup is underway, and communities are doing their best to get back on track, but the impact — physical and emotional — will linger for a while. Let’s stay alert, stay safe, and support one another as we recover from this sudden and intense storm.
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