SUPER Hail

[Bart_Comstock]

I'm sorry it has taken me so long to chime into this thread. I've been stranded in Woodward since this weekend dealing with brake issues and thus was not aware of this thread. The footage I put on YouTube was hastily thrown together for TWC. I just simply threw my lower third on it and then quickly dumped it to YouTube.

Here is the rundown of how things happened...

• The hail hit my hood and then came threw my windshield.
• I dawned my helmet and goggles and ducked down for protection.
• The hail stopped falling and I picked the glass from my arm and hand.
• I jumped out of the car and began to measure and report the hail sizes on SN and over 146.55.
• I hear reports of a tornado over the radio and for 8min I stop measuring and try to film it.
• It then dawns on me that I need footage of the hail stones and I start to film them after they had been melting.
• I then had a sheriff pull up and he helped me tape my window up then let me follow him back to the storm.

I typically try to report on SN or via a phone BEFORE I worry about filming since my primary goal when chasing is to warn the public of what is headed their way. 90% of the time I have someone ride with me to man SN for me so I can film but this week I had been alone.

In the following image you will see a screen grab from my raw video:

The largest stone in this image is 5 3/4" wide after it had been melting for a bit. All the measurements I gave that day were measured from the stones WIDEST part I could find on them. A lot of the stones were shaped somewhat like a narrow oval.

I am not trying to cover my rear here or try to prove my self. I just did not want to appear like I was trying to hide from the questions of the legitimacy of my reports. Those who know me on this site will know I am not one to lie and what kind of person I am. I know many of you don't know me and you are all entitled to think what you want and speak what you will. I know what I saw that day and don't care if you door don't believe me. I'm not here to argue the size. I was just trying to help add missing pieces of info to the story.

 

[KendraReed]

I'm sorry it has taken me so long to chime into this thread. I've been stranded in Woodward since this weekend dealing with brake issues and thus was not aware of this thread.

The largest stone in this image is 5 3/4" wide after it had been melting for a bit. All the measurements I gave that day were measured from the stones WIDEST part I could find on them. A lot of the stones were shaped somewhat like a narrow oval.

That was a massive hole...I don't care how big the damn hail was...we avoided that cell because you were reporting the hail sizes. Glad you got your car fixed, with minimal effort, Bart.

 

[Adam Lucio]

Same here, I was north of that storm without any data whatsoever, normally I am a pretty aggressive chaser and will core punch if I am from the north but when I heard your reports I hung back and avoided a large repair bill for myself. The info is always appreciated and you did what chasers are supposed to do. REPORT.

Edit: Also, I am not sure where I saw the picture, but there are incredible photos from the last "super hail" event back in 07 in SD. Its a local holding MASSIVE stones in his hand, just looking at the stones in the picture and thinking about that hitting my truck makes me kringe, ill see if I can find it.

Edit 2: FOUND IT. The hailstone in his left hand is just...wow.

 

[cedwards]

Bart, you may have saved many windshields that day. I was one who saw your report and avoided the core as well. I think many of us were a bit more cautious about core punching that one.

 

[Bart_Comstock]

Thanks guys. The reason I am so fanatical about issuing reports first via the radio and SN is to give as real time of a warning as I can. Hearing my reports kept anyone that would have core punched out of the storm's core is just about the best news I can hear after a storm and makes the chase all that much more fulfilling and enjoyable. Glad I could help. Like I said, video is a secondary goal of mine while chasing. It is the icing on the cake. Helping and reporting come first.

 

[CZandbergen]

Bart, you may have saved many windshields that day. I was one who saw your report and avoided the core as well. I think many of us were a bit more cautious about core punching that one.

Agree. We were east of you and heard your report. We gave the core a little more room after that. Not much difference between 5 3/4" and 6" when it is pounding your wind shield...

 

[Adam Adkins]

Well that hailstorm last friday certainly was intense. The road I was on dead ended and we had to shoot north. Unfortunately we were too close to the storm but tried to beat it anyway at about 100 miles per hour but the window smashed with the first stone and glass went all over the place so I had to pull it over. The windshield was completely destroyed and there are dents on the car that are almost 2 inches deep. There must have been some GIANT stones to punch 2 inches into a 4runner - and those were on the side - not the roof or hood. I included a picture of the stones I collected just out the door - if I had looked around (I didn't because it was DUMPING rain and wind) I'm sure I would have found some baseballs or even softballs out there. The hail core in this thing was INTENSE!

 

[Paul Redmond]

I remember some poor fellow whose car was totalled last year in some biggen hail up around the 281/I20 area of north central texas. I (cough) core punched it, right at sunset after it had become a right mover and lost most of its inflow and hail. It was impressive at sunset, and of course all my pics came out pitch black. I still remember reading the next day about that chaser who lost every window in his car from trying to punch the core.

 

[Joshua Nall]

That picture of the home owner with the giant hail... the thing is he probably didn't run around for an hour looking for the biggest stone. He just happened to grab it up and it was a giant. You know there were others a hundred yards out in the field, some maybe bigger than that.

If you happen upon a 5 3/4" stone... You know there's probably some 6 inchers out there and maybe bigger...as it would be unlikely that you found the biggest stone the storm could muster. Not that it should change anyone's reporting... just some thoughts.