More than 700 crop damage hail claims have been made across the prairies in the final week of August.

The president of the Canadian Crop Hail Association, Rick Omelchenko, says more than 2 dozen communities in Saskatchewan have been hit by hailstorms in the last week of August.

He says damage was severe in certain areas because of the ripeness of the crop.

“They’re near harvest and they shatter very easily at this time,” said Omelchenko. “Any kind of hail damage whatsoever really plays a role and effects them really heavily.”

Omelchenko says the hail stones ranged in size from pea to golf ball.

He says communities affected by hail storms the last week of August include Rosetown, Outlook, Davidson, Melville, Yorkton, Langenburg and Swift Current.

So far this year, hail claims are about average in Saskatchewan.