Overview
- The hailstorm that struck parts of Styria on Wednesday produced very large hailstones of about 4–6 cm, strong gusts near 85 km/h, and a core of intense damage that lasted roughly ten minutes.
- Volunteer fire brigades in Voitsberg district, including FF Köflach, FF Piber and FF Rosental, carried out more than 20 emergency deployments to pump flooded basements, secure damaged roofs and clear streets.
- A large horticulture nursery in Stainz reported catastrophic damage to greenhouses and roughly 400,000 plants ruined, and hail insurers who inspected the site put preliminary losses at about €3 million with owners warning the total may be higher.
- Local infrastructure and services were hit: plexiglass domes at Therme Nova were damaged, an animal shelter in Rosental was flooded but its animals were reported unharmed, and residents posted widespread photos of hail‑filled streets and damaged homes.
- Weather warnings had been issued before the storm and regional recovery is now focused on fast insurance assessments and repairs because the damage affects harvest timing and seasonal plant sales and could threaten some small businesses' viability.