Hail the size of baseballs

A thunderstorm is moving in and you're hearing reports from spotters that hail is moving in. Meteorologists determine the severity of the storm by the diameter of the hailstones -- the larger the hailstone, the stronger the updraft fueling the storms.

This Sunday, a storm dropped golf ball-sized hail on parts of the Denver metro area. Team Thunderhead is just warming up for the season, literally. In terms of insured damages, Colorado is second only to Texas. These frozen water bombs, or f-bombs as I call them during a storm, do enormous damage to cars and roofs. One such storm in Colorado Springs three years ago killed four animals at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, injured staff and exacted so much destruction that the zoo had to close for four days — its longest in recent times.

Hail the size of baseballs

Hail that fell in Fort Morgan, Akron, Iliff and other northern sections of Colorado's Eastern Plains damaged cars and windows overnight. It's rare to get significant hailstorms at night in Colorado. If anyone else has measured hail 4" in diameter or greater let us know. The National Weather Service said on Twitter that measurements of hailstones that were 4 inches wide were recorded after the storm. Kim Rose in Morgan County shared a photo that showed a smooth hailstone that was bigger than her palm. Meet the news team or contact us. Hailstones the size of baseballs cause damage in Eastern Colorado. Please enter email address to continue. Please enter valid email address to continue. Featured Local Savings. More from CBS News. Blown tire on flight leads to bumpy landing at Denver International Airport. Cold front advancing towards Colorado has slowed. Bond set for "Colorado Springs to Denver in 20 minutes" motorcyclist. Chrome Safari Continue.

It's rare to get significant hailstorms at night in Colorado. Meteorologists determine the severity of the storm by the diameter of the hailstones -- the larger the hailstone, the stronger the updraft fueling the storms.

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Sign up for the Morning Brief email newsletter to get weekday updates from The Weather Channel and our meteorologists. A hailstone 8 inches in diameter was produced by a severe thunderstorm in Vivian, South Dakota, on July 23, That's the largest diameter hail ever recovered in the U. It measured 6. The smallest 0. Damaging hail types start with quarter-sized 1 inch and ramp up to golf-ball-sized 1. The largest hailstones on the chart are referred to as softball-sized 4 inches , grapefruit-sized 4. As a general rule of thumb, this is the type of damage you can see from various hail sizes:.

Hail the size of baseballs

The "Severe Hail Hazard Map" depicts the local threat of severe hail for specified areas. It is based on the likelihood that severe hail will occur combined with the anticipated size diameter of the biggest stones. See diameter description below. See description below. Within 12 miles of a location, environmental conditions do not support the occurrence of severe hail.

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Those magnificent, billowy thunderheads contain cold liquid water and ice. Why are we so fortunate? Chrome Safari Continue. Common reference objects for hail stone sizes. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Hailstones the size of baseballs cause damage in Eastern Colorado. Kim Rose in Morgan County shared a photo that showed a smooth hailstone that was bigger than her palm. In terms of insured damages, Colorado is second only to Texas. Warmer air holds more moisture and moist air is necessary for the development of strong storms capable of hail. Bigger hailstones have fallen; the world record was in in Vivian, South Dakota. A kernel of ice carried aloft by the updraft gains an additional layer of ice and with each subsequent ascension it grows larger.

Huge chunks of hail pelted parts of Kansas and Missouri on Wednesday night during a severe thunderstorm. The baseball-sized ice brought traffic to a standstill on Interstate Highway 70, prompting some drivers to take cover under a bridge.

These frozen water bombs, or f-bombs as I call them during a storm, do enormous damage to cars and roofs. Colorado has the perfect storm of hail-causing variables. Most hailstorms are made up of a mix of different sizes, and only the very largest hailstones pose a serious risk to people caught in the open. Hailstones the size of baseballs cause damage in Eastern Colorado. Warmer air holds more moisture and moist air is necessary for the development of strong storms capable of hail. To that end, the National Weather Service often estimates the hail by comparing it to a known object. Team Thunderhead is just warming up for the season, literally. Low-elevation states also experience significant storms but hail is less common. Chrome Safari Continue. It was 4. A kernel of ice carried aloft by the updraft gains an additional layer of ice and with each subsequent ascension it grows larger. Time will tell.