North Dallas has been hit with terrible hail storms and hail damage this year

12/7/2017 (Permalink)

If your North Dallas home is hit by a storm, call the company that cares, call SERVPRO of Metrocrest (972) 233-8400.

What is a Hail Storm?

Hail storms are defined as thunderstorms that produce hail. Hail is a form of solid precipitation that is produced by thunderheads (aka thunderclouds). Hail stones are balls or clumps of ice that form in thunderheads due to the combination of sub-freezing temperatures and convection cell updrafting in the clouds.

How Hail Forms

Thunderhead clouds create strong updraft winds that cycle the precipitation up towards the top of the cloud, freezing and turning into hail along the way. In the top of thunderheads, where the updraft winds are weaker, gravity takes over and the hail stones start to fall. As hail stones fall back through the cloud, they pick up additional moisture from the cloud and grow in size. Hail stones can repeat this rising / falling action (called convection) many times. Once heavy enough to overcome the updraft winds, they fall all the way to the ground.

Hail Storm Safety and Preparation

Thunderstorms that produce hail can be very dangerous and must be taken seriously. Ever been hit by a golf ball or a baseball before? Now imagine a solid ball of ice falling at up to 120 mph from thousands of feet up in the air. Large hail falls with enough force to damage roofs, cars, break windows and more. If a person were to be directly hit with large hail, it could cause serious bodily injury, or death. It is imperative to seek shelter immediately when faced with hail storms, severe thunderstorm watches and severe thunderstorm warnings in order to protect yourself from falling hail.

Additionally, severe thunderstorms that produce hail can also produce tornadoes, violent winds and excessive rain. These conditions can also cause power outages and interruption to other public services. Pay attention to National Weather Service storm advisory warnings and take shelter indoors to stay safe in hail storms. If you are in your car when a hail storm hits, pull over to the side with your flashers on to reduce the chances of having an accident.

If you were hit by terrible hail damage like so many in the North Dallas area, call SERVPRO of Metrocrest (972) 233-8400. We will work around the clock to make sure your disaster is “Like it never even happened.”