Usually occurring in the spring, hail is costly and unpredictable. A form of precipitation, hail resides in every thunderstorm that develops, but only reaches the ground if the storm is very strong with the right atmospheric conditions.
Cool atmosphere and cold fronts help hail to reach the ground in many different shapes and sizes. From flat shaped to softball shaped, hail can strike in any form or fashion. Commonly only a few millimeters in diameter, hail can grow to a few centimeters to even larger tennis ball and softball sizes.
More damaging to property than to human life, hail can cause serious damage to roofs, automobiles, skylights and windows. In the rare case, if large enough, hail can cause concussions or fatal head trauma.
Protecting Your Home Against Hail Damage (PDF Format)