Picture of Hail

Hailstorms

Thunderstorm & Hail Basics...

Thunderstorms can produce 4 basic kinds of severe weather...

red ball Tornadoes, strong straight-line winds, flash flood producing rains, and large damaging hail

red ball the National Weather Service (NWS) issues "Severe Thunderstorm Warnings" for
  • hail stones 3/4 inch in diameter or larger, and/or
  •    
  • straight-line wind gusts of 58 mph or higher (measured or implied by tree/structural damage)

Wisconsin Facts...

  • Roughly 20% of all severe weather "events" in Wisconsin are hail events in which hailstones are at least 3/4 inch in diameter. Damaging, straight-line wind events make up about 72% of all severe weather events, while tornadoes add up to about 8%
  • Serious hailstorms (with hail stones 1.5 inch or larger in diameter) are not common in Wisconsin... however, when they do strike the result is significant property damage. Rarely is a person injured or killed by large hail in Wisconsin.
  • The peak hail season is April through August, although hail has been reported with thunderstorms in every month of the year.
  • The southern half of Wisconsin tends to have the greatest number of hail events...with Dane and La Cross counties leading the way. However, any Wisconsin county can have a serious hailstorm!
  • Any given location in Wisconsin will usually experience about 3 days with hail per year.
  • One of Wisconsin's worst hailstorm outbreak occurred on March 29, 1998, Central and East Central Wisconsin experienced prolific hail-producing thunderstorms resulting in damage that topped 10 million dollars. There were many reports of hail 2 to 3 inches in diameter, and hail 4 inches in diameter was reported in St. John in Calumet County!
  • On October 29, 1996, a hailstorm persisted for 5 minutes over the city of Mukwonago in Waukesha County. Hail stones up to 2 inches in diameter damaged over 200 automobiles and other home structures. Monetary losses reached 1.2 million dollars!

What you can do...

  • Know which county you live in or the name of the county you're in. The NWS issues severe thunderstorm warnings on a county basis.
  • Monitor a NOAA Weather Radio signal to obtain the latest forecasts and warnings issued by the NWS. Make sure the radio receiver has a battery backup. NWS warnings are broadcast on commercial radio and TV stations, as well as cable TV channels.
  • Postpone outdoor activities if the thunderstorms are imminent.
  • To protect your motor vehicle or other property from hail damage, try to park it in a garage or car port, or a tent with a strong canvas. If this is not possible, cover the vehicle with old blankets or jackets.
  • Don't treat "Severe Thunderstorm Warnings" lightly!!!

...Produced by Warning Coordination Meteorologists from the NWS Offices servicing the state of Wisconsin

URL: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/mkx/flyers/flyerhail.php

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