This storm dropped golf ball to baseball sized (2.75”) hail in parts of Riverside County and is still the largest hail recorded in Southern California.ĭecember 1967.
In the summer of 1928, a 7-inch, pound-and-a-half hailstone fell and was believed to be the largest ever in the States at the time. The earliest record of record-worthy hailstones “hails” from the Cornhusker State. India and China have significant problems with hailstorms in mountainous, rural areas causing casualties to this day. The soldiers, living in tents, had no protection from being pelted with ice. Notably, during the Hundred Years War in 14th century Europe, 10,000 English soldiers were killed during an intense hailstorm. However, hailstorms have claimed many lives abroad in the past. Only 4 people are known to have died in hailstorms in America since 2000.
A 2004 hailstorm in Canada caused 20,000 people to be evacuated from a mall when the glass atrium roof shattered and caved in. Windshields, glass roofs and skylights are particularly at risk. Hailstones can also cause damage to vehicles and buildings. The most common hail damage loss to American communities is agriculture: crops and livestock. due to improved infrastructure and early warning systems. However, casualties due to hail are uncommon in the U.S. Since a baseball-sized hailstone can fall as fast as a major-league pitch, it is easy to imagine how sudden hailstorms can cause injury to people. While warmer states (Florida, for example) are prone to thunderstorms and see their fair share of hail, warm air temperatures usually prevent larger, more damaging hailstones from developing so none of these storms made the list. Hailstorms are common in land-locked, plains states from Texas to the Dakotas and over to western Missouri including Kansas and Oklahoma. For these reasons, most hailstorms in the US occur in an area known as “Hail Alley”, near the Rocky Mountain Range, where Colorado, Nebraska, and Wyoming connect. Hailstorms are also very common in areas where the atmospheric temperature is low. Hailstorms are most common in areas near mountain ranges because mountains force air to flow upwards, creating an updraft. Image Credit: SturmjaegerTobi / Pixabay Where are Hailstorms common?Īny thunderstorm has the potential to cause hail. A small hailstone (less than half an inch) can fall at a rate of about 20 mph while the largest reach a velocity of over 100 mph. So, the stronger the updraft, the bigger the hailstones. When they get too heavy to be supported by the wind any longer, they fall from the sky.
During this time, they grow in size by attracting additional moisture from the storm clouds or combining with other hailstones. Because of the low temperatures, ice particles form within the clouds, but they do not fall from the sky immediately because of the updraft. Hail is made when there is a strong, upwards wind (called an “updraft”) and cold atmospheric temperatures during what could otherwise be thought of as a typical thunderstorm. Hail is sometimes confused with sleet, but sleet consists of small, clear pellets of frozen rain and is not produced by thunderstorms. But, before that, some information: What is a Hailstorm?Ī hailstorm is a thunderstorm that produces round balls or lumpy clumps of ice which fall to Earth and are referred to as “hail” or “hailstones”. In this article, I will share the 22 worst hailstorms in US history. Most hailstorms are mild, causing little damage and no serious injury, but occasionally these weather events can cause billions in property damage and even loss of life. If you’ve experienced this phenomenon even once, it is sure to have left an impression. Or maybe your first encounter, like mine, was finding an underpass to shelter your car during an unexpected hailstorm on the way to a job interview. You may recall being thrilled by ice falling during a thunderstorm while indoors, warm and protected as a child. Image Credit: Hans / Pixabay The 22 Worst Hailstorms in US History Written By: John LindenĪ hailstorm can be a memorable experience.
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