• About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • Insiders: Log In
Saturday April 1st
  • Login
  • Register
  • Home
  • Briefing
    • Today
    • Future
  • Safety
  • Articles
  • KSStorm.Live
No Result
View All Result
KSStorm Info
KSStorm Info
  • Home
  • Briefing
    • Today
    • Future
  • Safety
  • Articles
  • KSStorm.Live
No Result
View All Result
KSStorm Info
No Result
View All Result

Severe Weather Awareness: Hail and Wind

Scott Roberts by Scott Roberts
2020-10-05 20:25 CDT
in Education
0 0
0
Hand Precipitate Thunderstorm Storm Ice Lumps Hail

Hand Precipitate Thunderstorm Storm Ice Lumps Hail

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Pinterest

Today’s topic for Severe Weather Awareness Week is wind and hail.

Hail

According to NOAA, tornadoes are not the top damage-producer. In fact, they aren’t even listed separately in the summary stats!

The distribution of damage from U.S. Billion-dollar disaster events from 1980 to 2017 (as of January 8, 2018) is dominated by tropical cyclone losses. Tropical cyclones have caused the most damage ($850.5 billion, CPI-adjusted) and also have the highest average event cost ($22.4 billion per event, CPI-adjusted). This total now includes the initial cost estimates for Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, which are continually being assessed and may increase further in cost. Drought ($236.6 billion, CPI-adjusted), severe storms ($206.1 billion, CPI-adjusted) and inland flooding ($119.9 billion, CPI-adjusted) have also caused considerable damage based on the list of billion-dollar events. Severe storms have caused the highest number of billion-dollar disaster events (91), while the average event cost is the lowest ($2.3 billion, CPI-adjusted).

Hail produces far more economic damage in most years than tornadoes. Insurance industry numbers indicate that in 2013, 2014 and 2015, more than 2.1 million claims were paid for hail damage. The economic loss from value of those claims averages $1 billion a year. The Insurance Information Institute reports damage in 2016 was over $3.5 billion!

The largest hailstone recorded so far fell July 23, 2010, in Vivian, SD. It was the size of a dinner plate, measuring 8 inches in diameter and weighing 1.94 pounds. The record before that was a hailstone which fell in Aurora, NE, on June 22, 2003, and measured 7 inches in diameter and weighed 1.67 pounds. Here’s a video of the Vivian, SD stone:

Hail safety tips, courtesy of the NWS:

Wind

I sometimes wish I had a nickel for every time someone claimed their house/farm/neighborhood had been hit by a tornado when the damage was obviously from straight line winds. It’s blatantly obvious from the air, but here’s how you tell from the ground:

Straight-line wind:

Notice how every branch and fallen section of tree is blown from left to right in the photo. That is a hallmark of straight-line wind. A special kind of straight-line wind damage that can be confused for tornado damage is from a downburst or microburst. In any one location damage is oriented in a single direction, but as you arrive at a different edge of the damage the limbs and so forth are oriented another direction. The mechanics of a downburst/microburst should make clear why:

When you see it, report it!

Beaufort Wind Scale, credit NWS Portland, OR

…And for the tornado junkies among us….

Have a great Wednesday!

Related Articles

Tornado Trivia: When is the typical first tornado warning?

2022-03-30 10:05 CDT
98
John Middelkoop House on Car Unsplash

Prepare 2022 Bonus: The Role of Insurance

2022-03-08 13:00 CST
38
images wrn infographics 2022 helping others tornadoes

Spring Preparedness Preview: Tornadoes

2022-03-03 06:47 CST
41
images wrn infographics 2022 helping others thunderstorms

Spring Preparedness Preview: Thunderstorms

2022-03-02 06:48 CST
32
Load More
Scott Roberts

Scott Roberts

I've chased storms and reported on the weather in some form now for almost 40 years. My first severe weather coverage was in the summer of 1981 on an FM station in Pratt, KS. I worked for KFDI News, including many hours in the Mobile Units during storm season, for six years. I went to KWCH12 as their storm chase coordinator for the 2003 and 2004 seasons. Then I went into business for myself and have been chasing actively since 2005. 2020 brings some new things to the site, but at the core I still am driven to connect my understanding of weather and safety to you, giving accurate and timely information the best ways I can with the tools available. I'm gratified to have you along for the ride!

Next Post

Severe Weather Awareness: Lightning

Connect with us

  • 610 Followers
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
blizzard

Second Signficant Snowstorm Imminent for Kansas

2022-02-16 21:42 CST

Risk Upgrade

2021-10-12 08:44 CDT
multi vortex

Andover Tornado: Photos and Video

2022-04-30 01:06 CDT

First Look: Multi-Day Event Next Week?

2022-04-08 08:18 CDT

When a City Loses Its Ever-lovin’ Mind

The 3 Things Tornado Victims Wish They Had

Have mercy on the TV weather departments

NOAA Lightning at night

There is No Such Thing as a Professional Chaser

Aware 2021: The consistent economic damage outperformer of all weather hazards

Watching the Weather

2023-03-27 11:15 CDT
pxl 20230326 223810156

Ready for the Season, 2023

2023-03-26 19:22 CDT
severe weather awareness week monday pm feature header

Prepare 2023: Andover EF-3 Tornado (2022) Retrospective

2023-03-09 18:01 CST
2016 05 16 tornado north of solomon, kansas

Prepare 2023: Tornadoes

2023-03-26 19:29 CDT

Recommended

Aware 2021: The consistent economic damage outperformer of all weather hazards

Watching the Weather

2023-03-27 11:15 CDT
16
pxl 20230326 223810156

Ready for the Season, 2023

2023-03-26 19:22 CDT
63
severe weather awareness week monday pm feature header

Prepare 2023: Andover EF-3 Tornado (2022) Retrospective

2023-03-09 18:01 CST
19
2016 05 16 tornado north of solomon, kansas

Prepare 2023: Tornadoes

2023-03-26 19:29 CDT
37
Twitter Instagram Pinterest Twitch RSS Youtube

About KSStorm.Info

We're a collaboration of weather enthusiasts who live the goal of providing accurate, hype-free weather forecasts, outlooks, and safety information. Our focus is Kansas.

More about KSStorm.Info

All material on this site is © KSStorm Media and may not be used or reposted anywhere without express permission.
Call or email for licensing.

KSStorm Info Services

  • PERKS: Become a KSStorm.Info Insider
  • Chase with Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Need a Speaker?
    Storm Safety Talk

© 2021 KSStorm Media, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Want to use something from this site? Email or Call to license.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Briefing
    • Today
    • Future
  • Safety
  • Articles
  • KSStorm.Live

© 2021 KSStorm Media, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Want to use something from this site? Email or Call to license.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

*By registering into our website, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Install this KSStorm Info on your iPhone and then Add to Home Screen

×

Add KSStorm Info to your Homescreen!

Add
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.

By visiting our site, you agree to our privacy policy regarding cookies, tracking statistics, etc. Read more