A hailstorm is one of the most
damaging types of weather events. Hail can puncture roofs, fell crops and smash
car windshields. The US holds the unfortunate record of the largest officially
measured pieces of hail:
- 18.74 inches (47.6 cm) circumference in Aurora, Nebraska on June 22 2003;
- 18.62 inches (47.3 cm) in diameter in Vivian, South Dakota, on July 23 2010.
So, What Exactly Is Hail?
Hail forms in large and tightly
loaded thunderstorm clouds when a sizeable part of the cloud has a temperature
below freezing – 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit). However, as you can
see from the dates of the record sized hail pieces, this phenomenon does not
occur during winter.
Hail occurs most frequently
during spring and summer and tends to affect areas prone to tornadoes and high
winds. Other factors that favor hail are:
- Area: continental interior;
- Position on the globe: mid-latitudes;
- Dry air masses moving into strong thunderstorm formations.
Thus, coastal areas and the
tropics, although subject to more rainfall, are less likely to be hit by hail.
Can We Anticipate an Upcoming Hail?
The answer is yeas. Weather
radars can detect tightly packed thunderstorm clouds. However, specialists also
need to know the atmospheric conditions in order to predict whether all the
conditions that favor hail formation are met (low temperature at high
altitudes, sudden dry air movement into the clouds).
Call the experts at hail damage repair, Https://expertroofinginc.com/areas-served/illinois/mchenry-county/roofing-company-in-algonquin-il/.
