Whyalla, South Australia Hailstorm

[Marcus Diaz]

A pretty nasty hailstorm slammed the community of Whyalla on Decemeber 17, 2011. A person on a forum I frequent posted a pic of a hailstone that smashed into the back window of his car.

At least it looks like 1 piece. I'm trying to contact him so I can get more info and pics, but if it is, WOW that's a huge stone!

Here's the best video of the massive hail I could find so far. Looks like golfball up to baseball sized hail.
Watch video >

 

[Michael Thompson]

This was a genuine supercell outbreak. The La Nina year (again) has led to some very potent setups in the southern states of Australia, Victoria, South Australia and parts of Western Australia - areas that we normally joke about as having no real weather at this time of year other than dust storms and 120F days. Unfortunately for the areas that normally see the odd supercell such as NE NSW/SE QLD it has been a slow and wet year. My own area about 2 hours south of Sydney is having its quietest storm season on record. Every setup has been plagued by upper level moisture - cloudfests as we aussie chasers call them.

 

[J Tyler]

Clearly, our friends in Australia have some kind of secret to making auto glass a lot stronger than we have here in the states! After all THAT hail in the video, that car had not lost any windows?!?! The duration of the heavy hail is also impressive. Wow.

 

[Marcus Diaz]

Ok got some info on that picture, and it is indeed ONE hailstone. He said it was roughly the size of 2 tennis balls side by side. So...that would mean its about 6" or so in diameter! WOW!