Hail Storms

How is it formed?

• Hail is formed in cumulonimbus clouds
• The clouds have an updraft
• The updraft pushes the droplets of water up to the top to the colder air
• It can move up and down, creating layers of ice
• Once it is too heavy to be pushed up, it falls to the ground

Where does it occur?

• U.S.: Nebraska, Colorado, and Wyoming
• States in the Great Plains area
• Known as Hail Alley
• Other countries: China, Russia, India, and northern Italy

How big is it?

• Hail can be pea-sized to softball-sized

What was the largest?

• The largest hail size reported was in Vivian, South Dakota
• 8 inches in diameter
• 18.62 inches in circumference
• 1lb 15 oz in weight

What was the damage?

• It smashed windshields
• It left craters in the ground
• Hail storms cost more than $1 billion each year

History of Hail

• In this U.S., only 3 people have been killed by hail
• In 1888, almost 250 people were killed in India by hail

What should you do to stay safe?

• If you get caught in a hail storm...
• FIND SHELTER!!!

Resources

• National Geographic Society http://education.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/hail/
• Severe Weather https://weather.com/storms/severe/news/how-hail-forms