SUPER Hail

[john.sibley]

I had to come post the shot of what 6 inch hail looks like when it punches thru your windshield. Be safe!

Bart Comstock, TX 12 June 2010

 

[Greg Stumpf]

I wouldn't say six inches. Maybe 4 1/2 - 5" with the spikes. Impressive nonetheless.

 

[Robert Dewey]

I wouldn't say six inches. Maybe 4 1/2 - 5" with the spikes. Impressive nonetheless.

I agree... the one on the top-left look like it's about 5 inches, based on that ruler. Still impressive.

 

[Shane Adams]

Glad I'm not the only one who saw this. It's kinda ridiculous that we can't even just say hail size is what it is anymore. Fat stovepipes aren't good enough, everything has to be a wedge. Now softball hail isn't good enough, we must embellish that as well.

Maybe I'm just looking at this thing the wrong way, but all I heard last night was "six inch hail!!" and this morning I'm greeted to a video on FB featuring nothing even close. I guess I haven't learned the "media sensationalized curve" yet.

 

[Greg Stumpf]

If we had the means, the proper way to measure hail would be by mass, or weight, which is the main driver for hail damage (that, along with wind and number of stones). It would remove the inflation of hail "significance" due to the spikes (which add very little mass overall), and also account for hail density (hard versus soft/spongy).

 

[David Williams]

Regardless of the technical size of the hail, your windshield is still busted and that sucks. I hope the repairs are cheap and it didn't melt on any of your equipment.

 

[Ben Tillotson]

This reminds me of the hail storm that went through Kearney, NE back 2002. Link to the NWS page here. It's crazy what hail can do when it's big enough. Like going through the roof of your house...

 

[Rob Wadsworth]

Bart Comstock's picture just may be destined to become a classic.
Are there any more like it - or better than that?

 

[Scott Olson]

On Friday near and SW of Wiggins, CO. There was some absolutely huge hail damage I saw which probably is way above the reports listed on the SPC website of 2.75 and 3.00". One construction worker who had just come out of the storm clearly had some massive damage to his windshield and some injury to his eye. There was another kid, not sure if he was a chaser but his entire windshield was destroyed and half bent into the car (still hadn't shattered). That stuff looked much bigger than the stones shown above.

 

[Rob H]

There was another kid, not sure if he was a chaser but his entire windshield was destroyed and half bent into the car (still hadn't shattered). That stuff looked much bigger than the stones shown above.

That sounds like Adam's car:

http://www.stormtrack.org/forum/showpost.php?p=275122&postcount=2

 

[Ben Tillotson]

On Friday near and SW of Wiggins, CO. There was some absolutely huge hail damage I saw which probably is way above the reports listed on the SPC website of 2.75 and 3.00". One construction worker who had just come out of the storm clearly had some massive damage to his windshield and some injury to his eye. There was another kid, not sure if he was a chaser but his entire windshield was destroyed and half bent into the car (still hadn't shattered). That stuff looked much bigger than the stones shown above.

I saw a pickup with holes in his windshield on that Co Rd F south of Wiggens. Not sure what it takes to get that kind of damage but I would imagine larger than 3"

 

[Jason Boggs]

Yeah, still no proof of actual 6 inch hail. I thought it might be an overestimation when I heard about it. It sure is a shame.

 

[cdcollura]

Good day all,

...Are there any more like it - or better than that?

Above: The "money shot" of hail at LEAST 5" near Wisconsin Rapids, WI on June 7, 2007 (myself and Tony L).

 

[Jim Zandonai]

The hail size thing is interesting and true with spikes it can had almost an inch. I remember reporting 1.5" this Spring which technincally is ping pong size. The length of the stone was 1.5" long but the overall size was nothing close to an actual ping pong ball because it was not a solid Spherical ball. Weight would tell the story better but unfortunately when reporting there is no way to do this..unless you start carrying around mini-scales..lol. In anycase anything that is true golfball-softball size like above is very impressive and damaging.
Yesterday 4.25" hail ran through a Indiana county and devastated a corn field along with the 100mph wind of course..
Here is the link in case you missed it..

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/news/display_cmsstory.php?wfo=lot&storyid=53661&source=0

 

[Rob Wadsworth]

Weight would tell the story better but unfortunately when reporting there is no way to do this..unless you start carrying around mini-scales..lol. In any case anything that is true golf ball-softball size like above is very impressive and damaging.
Yesterday 4.25" hail ran through a Indiana county and devastated a corn field along with the 100mph wind of course..

Solid point - IMO. The shape is almost never consistent; whereas weight is. After all, it it the weight of this solid object traveling at ~100mph before it hits anything before damage can be realized
Q: How much stopping energy is seen with a 2 pound missile @ ~100mph?
Or 1 pound?
Etc...
Maybe they should get an average weight of the stones; as shape is almost never consistent.

I was wondering if there were any other windshield damage pictures available.
Great hail shots - BTW.