>> A FEW THINGS IN LIFE ARE CERTAIN, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO SAN ANTONIO WITH THE SPRING
THERE WAS A GOOD CHANCE YOU’RE
GOING TO SEE SOME HAIL.
AND THIS YEAR WE’VE SEEN OUR
SHARE OF HAIL STORMS THIS WAS A
BIG HAIL EVENT FOR US IT SORT
OF REMINDED ME OF 2016 WE WERE
TALKING BASEBALL SIZED HAIL.
>> IF YOU LIVED IN SOUTH TEXAS FOR A WHILE YOU’RE PROBABLY NO STRANGER TO HAIL, BUT THERE’S A
LOT ABOUT THE SCIENCE OF THESE
WEATHER EVENTS THAT YOU MAY NOT
KNOW.
>> WE’RE TAKING A LOOK AT HOW
HAIL FORMS. WHY THIS REGION OF
TEXAS GET SO
MANY HAILSTORMS AND THE DAMAGE
THAT THESE WEATHER EVENTS CAN
CAUSE.
>> DURING THE PANDEMIC AND THE BATTLE.
BATTLE. ♪ ♪
♪ ♪ OF
♪ OF OUR CITY, AN EXAMINATION OF
WHAT IT MEANS TO BE BLACK.
♪
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT. ♪
ABOUT. ♪ ♪
>> THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR THIS EPISODE OF KSAT EXPLAINS I’M MYRA ARTHUR
IN EARLY MAY THE KSAT 12
WEATHER AUTHORITY TEAM BROKE
INTO PROGRAMMING TO MAKE OUR
VIEWERS AWARE OF A SUDDEN
HAILSTORM IN THE DAYS THAT
FOLLOWED WE REPORTED ON ALL THE
DAMAGE THAT WAS LEFT BEHIND.
NOW THAT THE THREAT IS OVER IN
THE DAMAGE HAS BEEN ASSESSED.
WE WANT TO EXPLORE THE SCIENCE
BEHIND THESE HAILSTORMS WHY
DOES IT HAPPEN HOW DOES
IT FORM AND WHAT DO YOU NEED TO
KNOW TO STAY SAFE DURING THE
NEXT HAILSTORM WE’RE TURNING
THE REINS OVER TO THE EXPERTS
FOR THIS EPISODE. METEOROLOGIST
SARAH SPIDEY AND KAITI BLAKE.
>> AS RESIDENTS OF
SAN ANTONIO AND SOUTH CENTRAL
TEXAS THAT WE ALL KNOW THE HAIL
IS A BIG CONCERN WHENEVER
STRONG STORMS MOVED THROUGH
THE AREA AND AS METEOROLOGIST
KATIE AND I WOULD LOVE TO TAKE
SOME TIME TO EXPLAIN WHY HAIL
HAVE HAPPENS IN THIS PART OF
TEXAS. HOW HE’LL FORMS AND HOW
TO STAY SAFE DURING
A HAILSTORM THAT’S EXACTLY
RIGHT ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE IN JUST THE
PAST 10 YEARS
AT LEAST 16 LARGE HAIL EVENTS
HAVE HAPPENED IN AND AROUND THE
SAN ANTONIO AREA. SO IF YOU DO
THE MATH. AVERAGES TO MORE THAN
ONE A YEAR. AND ONE OF THE
REASONS WHY WE HAVE OF SUCH
VERY LARGE HAIL IN THIS PART OF
SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS IS BECAUSE
OF IT PROXIMITY
TO THE WEST TEXAS DRY LINE.
NOW TAKE FOR EXAMPLE, HAIL
STORMS THIS YEAR. THE
TEMPERATURES WERE SO HOT.
BEHIND THE DRY LINE IN COTULLA
IN THE AFTERNOON. THEY FIRED
OFF A FEW SHOWERS
THE SHOWERS THEN MOVED INTO
WARM HUMID AIR CLOSER TO SAN
ANTONIO AND EXPLODED INTO
THUNDERSTORMS YET ONE OF THESE
THUNDERSTORMS TRACK RIGHT OVER
SAN ANTONIO AND WAS
STRENGTHENING AS IT MOVED
ACROSS CENTRAL PARTS OF THE
COUNTY. IN TOTAL THIS 20 THAT
PRODUCE MORE THAN 30 HAIL
REPORTS, SOME AS LARGE AS
SOFTBALLS AND MANY REMEMBER THE
VERY DESTRUCTIVE HAILSTORM OF
APRIL 12 2016 ON
THIS DAY A VERY LARGE HAIL
STORM MOVED ACROSS BEXAR COUNTY
JUST NORTH OF DOWNTOWN SAN ANTONIO FROM 9 TO 10:00PM TENNIS BALL SIZE HAIL
FELL IN A SWATH FROM THE
GOVERNMENT CANYON AREA
OVER TO THE AIRPORT AND EAST
THROUGH SAINT HEDWIG
SOME OF THE LARGEST HAILSTONES
OF UP TO SOFTBALL SIZE FELL
NEAR HELOTES IN LEON VALLEY AND
EAST IN ALAMO HEIGHTS
IN KIRBY AND THIS ONE EVENT
RESULTED IN ONE 0.3 6 BILLION
DOLLARS AND DAMAGE
THAT ACTUALLY MAKES THIS THE
SECOND COSTLIEST HAILSTORM IN
TEXAS HISTORY. ADD INSULT TO
INJURY ANOTHER STORM WITH LARGE
HAIL WOULD HIT SAN ANTONIO,
ONLY 2 WEEKS LATER.
SO WE KNOW THAT HAIL CAN BE
DESTRUCTIVE BUT WHAT MAKES IT
SO BIG SOMETIMES TO UNDERSTAND
THAT WE’VE GOT TO START WITH
HOW HAIL FORMS IN THE FIRST
PLACE. NOW HILL FORMATION IS A
FASCINATING PROCESS AND IT’S
ACTUALLY ONE OF MY FAVORITE
THINGS ABOUT
WHETHER SO I HOPE AFTER THIS
EPISODE YOU’RE GOING TO ABLE TO
TELL A LOT ABOUT THE NEXT
HAILSTONE THAT LANDS IN YOUR
YARD SO TO HAVE HAIL. YOU FIRST
HAVE TO HAVE
A THUNDERSTORM. THUNDERSTORMS
ESPECIALLY LARGE AND ORGANIZED
ONE’S CALLED SUPER CELLS LIKE
THIS ONE HERE HAVE SOMETHING
CALLED IN DRAFT AND A
DOWN DRAFT. THESE ARE AREAS A
FAST-MOVING WIND GOING UP INTO
THE STORM AND THEN DOWN TO
THE GROUND.
THE UPDRAFT TRANSPORTS
RAINDROPS TO THE VERY TOP OF
THE STORM WHERE THEY FREEZE
BECAUSE IT IS SO COLD. THIS IS
THE VERY BEGINNING OF A
HAILSTONE RIGHT THEY’RE AT THE
TOP REALLY COLD SO ONCE A
HAILSTONE FORMS IT GOES ON
A BIT OF A WILD RIDE. THOSE
UPDRAFTS AND DOWNDRAFT THAT WE
TALKED ABOUT THEY CARRY THE
HAIL UP AND DOWN THE STORM
EACH TRIP UP AND DOWN ADDS
ANOTHER LAYER TO THE HAILSTONE
AS IT BUMPS INTO SUPER COOLED
WATER WITH EACH TRIP. UP TO THE
TOP OF THE STORM. THE HAILSTONE
GETS A LITTLE BIT BIGGER.
EVENTUALLY THE HAILSTONE
BECOMES TOO HEAVY AND FALLS OUT
OF THE STORM AND ONTO THE
GROUND SO A MUCH STRONGER STORM
CAN SUPPORT OR CARRY MUCH
LARGER HAIL AND ON THE FLIPSIDE
WEEK THUNDERSTORM WILL PRODUCE
VERY SMALL HAIL SOMETIMES MAYBE
EVEN A SMALL
AS GREENPEACE ACCORDING TO THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, THE
LARGEST HAILSTONE EVER RECORDED
IN THE UNITED STATES FELL IN
SOUTH DAKOTA. BACK IN 20 10
LOOK AT THIS THE HAILSTONE WAS
8 INCHES IN DIAMETER. 18 INCHES
AROUND
IN CIRCUMFERENCE AND WEIGHED
NEARLY 2 POUNDS NOTICE, THE
SHAPE OF THIS RECORD HAILSTONE
THOUGH AT ALMOST LOOKS LIKE
IT’S MADE UP OF SOME SMALLER
STONES, IT’S ALSO GOT HIS
LITTLE APPENDAGES STICKING UP
SO WHAT CAUSES THAT
SHAPE WELL HAIL STONES CAN HAVE
A FEW DIFFERENT SHAPES. ALL
BASED ON THEIR JOURNEY THROUGH
A THUNDERSTORM.
SOME HAIL STONES ARE PERFECTLY
ROUND THEY LOOK PRISTINE AND
THEY’LL HAVE THESE LITTLE RINGS
ON THEM JUST LIKE TREES HAVE
BRINGS EACH RING REPRESENTS A
TRIP BACK UP TO THE TOP OF THE
STORM. WE’RE MORE SUPER COOL
WATER FREEZES ON THE HAILSTONE
ADDING ANOTHER LAYER TO IT SO
WITH EACH LAYER, WE GET A NEW
RAIN. THIS PROCESS CAN BE
REPEATED SEVERAL TIMES UNTIL
THE STONE GETS TOO HEAVY.
SOMETIMES THEY’LL COME LOOK JAG
WITH APPENDAGES KIND OF LIKE
THAT PICTURE WE JUST SAW
THE STONES LIKELY STARTED TO
MELT ON THEIR WAY DOWN A
THUNDERSTORM AND THEN RE FROZE
AS THE STORM’S UPDRAFT CARRIED
IT BACK TO THE TOP
AND FINALLY SOME STONES JUST
LOOK A LITTLE BUMPY AND THIS IS
A RESULT OF SMALLER STONES,
BUMPING INTO ONE ANOTHER IN THE
THUNDERSTORM TO EVENTUALLY FORM
ONE LARGER HAIL STONE.
AND ANY THUNDERSTORMS BUT LARGE
HAIL
IS RARER NOW HAIL CAN RANGE IN
SIZE FROM A QUARTER OF AN INCH
TO OVER 4 INCHES IN DIAMETER.
BUT BECAUSE WE DON’T OFTEN
THINK ABOUT OUR WORLD AND EXACT
MEASUREMENTS,
COMMON ITEMS ARE USED TO
REFERENCE HAIL SIZES.
AND PENNY SIZED HAIL IS VERY
COMMON AND THUNDERSTORMS.
AND ALTHOUGH THAT MAY BE NOISY
LITTLE TO NO DAMAGE IS EXPECTED
FROM SMALLER HAIL.
HOWEVER, ONCE HAILSTONES GET TO
THE SIZE OF QUARTERS OR GREATER
SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE CAN OCCUR
HAIL THE SIZE OF 10 TENNIS
TO SOFTBALLS CAN CAUSE
CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE AND INJURY
BECAUSE
OF THIS ANY HAIL STONES THAT
ARE GREATER THAN THE SIZE OF AN
INCH IN DIAMETER OR THE SIZE OF
QUARTERS THAT’S CONSIDERED
SEVERE AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WARNINGS ARE ISSUED FOR STORMS
WITH THE POTENTIAL TO CREATE
QUARTER SIZED HAIL OR GREATER.
NOW
SO WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU
FIND YOURSELF UNDER A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR HAIL
IF YOU’RE IN YOUR HOME.
THE FIRST THING YOU SHOULD DO
IS STAY INSIDE UNTIL THE HAIL
STOPS DON’T GO OUTSIDE TO
COVER. TOO LATE FOR
THAT IF IT’S ALREADY HAILING IN
FACT SOME PEOPLE GET INJURED
WHEN THEY TRY TO COVER UP THEIR
CAR IF IT’S ALREADY HAILING
IT’S IMPORTANT TO ALSO STAY
AWAY FROM ALL WINDOWS,
INCLUDING SKYLIGHTS AS LARGE
HAIL CAN BREAK THAT GLASS.
FINALLY AND THIS IS IMPORTANT
IF YOU SUSTAIN DAMAGE TO YOUR
CAR OR YOUR HOME OR YOUR
PROPERTY BE SURE TO DOCUMENT
THAT KIND THE HAIL OCCURRED AND
THE SIZE OF THE HAIL. THIS IS
NECESSARY FOR INSURANCE
PURPOSES, AND YOU’LL BE
GRATEFUL FOR THAT INFORMATION
LATER. IT MAY ALSO BE IMPORTANT
FOR YOU TO KNOW WHAT TO DO IF
YOU ARE INSIDE A VEHICLE DURING
A HAILSTORM IF YOU’RE DRIVING
TRY TO FIND A SAFE
PLACE TO PULL OVER LIKE UNDER A
GAS STATION
ON ING HOWEVER HE SHOULD NEVER
EVER EVER PARK UNDER A HIGHWAY
OVERPASS AS WE SEE THIS ALL THE
TIME. THIS COULD LEAD TO CAR
ACCIDENTS AND END UP CREATING
MORE OF A MAC MESS.
THE NEXT THING YOU WANT TO DO
IS IF YOU’RE IN YOUR CAR.
YOU WANT TO TURN YOUR BACK TO
THE WINDOWS AND DON’T LEAVE THE
CAR UNTIL THE HAIL STOPS.
NOTICE WHEN THE SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WARNING ENDS AND
AT THAT TIME. IT SHOULD BE SAFE
TO GET OUTSIDE.
WE KNOW THAT GETTING CAUGHT IN
A HAIL STORM CAN BE A DANGEROUS
AND CERTAINLY A SOMEWHAT SCARY
THING BUT WE HAVE AN AMAZING
TOOL TO HELP YOU THROUGH A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM. THAT’S
RIGHT OUR KSAT WEATHER
AUTHORITY APP IT IS FREE.
AND ANDROID USERS AND YOU CAN
DOWNLOAD IT TODAY IF A SEVERE
STORM HAPPENS THAT EVEN CONTAIN
SOME HAIL WE’LL GO LIVE FROM
THE APP TO KEEP YOU INFORMED
AND THIS IS ESPECIALLY HELPFUL
EVEN IF YOU LOSE POWER,
RIGHT JUST MAKE SURE YOU ALLOW
NOTIFICATIONS IN THE SETTINGS
OF YOUR PHONE AND WE’LL SEND
ALERTS RIGHT TO YOUR DEVICE ON
THE APP YOU CAN ALSO DRAW PICTURES OF WHAT YOU’RE SEEING AT HOME THROUGH THE KSAT.
NOT ONLY WILL YOUR PICTURE
POSSIBLY BE USED ON KSAT
BUT AS METEOROLOGIST, THIS
HELPS US CONFIRMED THE SIZE AND
THE LOCATION OF THE HAIL THAT
IS FALLING THAT MAKES YOU AN
IMPORTANT PART OF OUR KSAT
WEATHER AUTHORITY TEAM. DURING
HAIL SEASON. THANKS
FOR WATCHING THIS EPISODE OF
KSAT EXPLAINS OUR HOPE IS THAT
THE NEXT TIME A HAIL STORM
PASSES THROUGH SAN ANTONIO.
>> YOU’LL KNOW MORE ABOUT
WHAT’S HAPPENING AND WHY.
WE’LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.