March is here and that means that spring weather will be coming soon, likely including severe wind and hailstorms. In fact, some early storms have already occurred across the South. It is not uncommon for hail events to occur in the southern United States during mid-to-late March. With this in mind, we thought we would share some “large hail” photos that we have taken over the years. While it would be nice to capture a photo of the hail itself, the hailstones are short-lived, and what we see is the damage that is left behind.
Hail sizes are typically measured by the diameter of the hailstones, with the majority of hail sized less than 1″ in diameter. Hail sized 3″ is rare, and hail 4″ or larger is very rare. To put things in perspective, the National Weather Service provides size comparisons of hail to common items. For example, 3″ hail is referenced to a tea cup or a large apple and is slightly larger than “baseball-sized” hail (a baseball is about 2 3/4″ in diameter). Hail sized 4″ in diameter is commonly referred to as “softball-sized” hail (hail 4″ to 4 1/2″ is also often called “grapefruit-sized”).
Figures 1 and 2 were taken from one of the rare large hail events during a 2016 storm in Wylie, Texas (just northeast of Dallas). According to the National Weather Service, this storm produced hail up to 5 1/4″ in diameter in the Wylie area and is one of the largest hail events that has been recorded in Texas since 1950.
Figure 1. Hail damage to a concrete tile roof in Wylie, Texas.
Figure 2. Hail indentation in metal coping in Wylie, Texas.
Figure 3 shows a large indentation of a meal panel from hail. This occurred during a storm in Burkburnett, Texas with reported hail up to 4″ and evidence of hail potentially larger than that. Damages from this hail were noted at roofs of various types. Figure 4 shows an impact mark on a modified bitumen membrane, and Figure 5 shows a fractured EPDM membrane.
Figure 3. Hail indentation in metal panel in Burkburnett, Texas.
Figure 4. Hail impact at modified bitumen membrane in Burkburnett, Texas.
Figure 5. Fracture at EPDM from hail impact in Burkburnett, Texas.
While indentation in light-gauge metal panels is a common result of hail impact from a significant hail storm, it is extremely rare for the hail to cause fracturing of the panel. Figure 6 shows roof panel that fractured due to a large hail impact in El Reno, Oklahoma (west of Oklahoma City) in 2013. Figure 7 shows another hail-induced panel fracture, this one located adjacent to a supporting purlin on a roof in Waco, Texas in 2023.
Figure 6. Fractured roof panel from hail impact in El Reno, Oklahoma.
Figure 7. Fracture in a roof panel due to a large hail impact over a purlin support in Waco, Texas.
Thankfully, these monster hailstones are rare, and hail impacts evaluated by Nelson’s professionals are typically from much smaller hail.
We at Nelson wish everyone a lovely beginning to spring in 2025.
