City of Mesquite - Office of Emergency Management

The National Weather Service uses hail as an indicator of a severe storm. If the hail measures 3/4" or larger, then the storm has enough energy to be very dangerous. In a storm, warm and cold air currents collide. Raindrops are created and fall until they hit a strong updraft, which tosses them up to freezing altitudes. These altitudes are sometimes very high. They fall and are tossed again, getting bigger each time, until they are heavy enough to resist the updraft.

Hail is a good indicator of storm strength, because the faster the updraft, the bigger the hailstone will be. Luckily, most stones are the size of peas. The table below lists a little information about hailstones and damage that the different sizes might cause.

Sizes of hailstones and their common terms

Size in Inches	Common Description	Potential Damages associated with the certain types of hail
1/4"	Pea sized hail	This size of hail could cause slight damage to trees and shrubs. People and animals in the open might be slightly injured.
1/2"	Marble sized hail	This size of hail could cause slight damage to trees and shrubs. People and animals in the open might be slightly injured.
3/4"	Dime sized hail	This size of hail could cause moderate damage to trees and shrubs and injury to people and animals caught unprotected. It will also cause slight damage to automobiles and roofs.
1 1/2"	Golf ball sized hail	This size of hail could cause heavy damage to trees and shrubs and severe injury to unprotected people and animals. It will also cause moderate damage to automobiles and roofs. Golf ball sized hail could break glass and penetrate convertible tops.
3"	Baseball sized hail	This size of hail could cause severe damage to trees and shrubs and life threatening injuries to people and animals. This hail can cause extensive damage to automobiles and roofs.
4"	Softball sized hail	This size of hail could cause devastating damage to trees and shrubs, severe injury and possible death to people and animals who are unprotected. It might also cause devastating damage to automobiles and buildings. This is large hail that falls rapidly. It can penetrate roofs and windows, which could cause damage to the interior of buildings and automobiles. Occupants face a risk of injury or death if good protection is not available.

Thunderstorms that produce hail are dangerous because of the density of the hailstones and the speed at which they fall. Every year, hail causes over $1billion in damage to property and agricultural crops. Hail does most of its damage by falling from high in the sky, but there are other hazards that hail creates. Deep hail can easily worsen a flash flood situation. Since ice (hail) floats on water it tends to clog drainage paths, culverts and grates. In flat country, water, mud and hail combinations begin to cover the roadways fast. This picture represents another hazard created by hail.

Appropriate Response Actions for Hail

Try to take shelter from the hail under some type of heavy structure. Thin roofs such as might be found on outdoor awnings are better than nothing, but if the hail increases in size or severity it might penetrate the roof.
Stay in your vehicle if you are on the road and never underneath an overpass. Stopping under an overpass causes problems for two reasons. First, your car blocks the road and leaves other motorists out in the storm. Second, your vehicle impedes the flow of traffic, which can cause accidents when other motorists are blinded by intense hail and rain.
Insurance is carried on your vehicle to cover things like hail damage. Take the time to exit the freeway and find a place to shelter. If the storm intensifies, you may need stronger shelter than your vehicle can provide anyway.
If you are in a building, use caution and stay away from the windows. Larger hailstones can break glass and cause injury.

Photos on this page are courtesy of the National Weather Service