>> WELL, TOMORROW, A LITTLE BIT OF MORNING FOG AND THEN 70'S BY THE AFTERNOON WITH A
BIT OF SUNSHINE LATER ON IN
THE DAY AS WE GET ON INTO
THANKSGIVING, DAMP IN THE
MORNING, DRY IN THE AFTERNOON.
GUSTY TEMPERATURES FALLING OFF A BIT THROUGH THE DAY AND THIS WEEKEND LOOKS LIKE ANOTHER
>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.
I'M MYRA ARTHUR. WELCOME TO THE
LATEST. KSAT EXPLAINS LIVE
STREAM. IT'S A WORD THAT
CATCHES ANYONE'S ATTENTION WHEN
IT'S IN THE FORECAST. HAIL AND
THIS. WE KNOW THIS IS THE SMALL
STUFF. WHY DOES IT SEEM LIKE
SAN ANTONIO TAKE SUCH A BEATING
WHEN HALE ROLES ARE OUT THIS
WEEK? WE'RE TURNING TO OUR
WEATHER TEAM TO GET SOME
ANSWERS. TAKE A LOOK.
...
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
METEOROLOGISTS KATIE AND I
WOULD LOVE TO TAKE SOME TIME
TO EXPLAIN WHY HAIL HAPPENS IN
THIS PART OF TEXAS.
>> HOW KILL FORMS AND HOW TO
STAY SAFE DURING A HAIL STORM.
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, THAT AVERAGES TO MORE
THAN ONE A YEAR, ONE OF THE
REASONS WHY WE HAVE SUCH A VERY
LARGE HAIL AND THIS PART OF
SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS IS BECAUSE
OF OUR PROXIMITY TO THE WEST,
TEXAS DRY LINE NOW TAKE, FOR
EXAMPLE, HAIL STORMS THIS YEAR.
TEMPERATURES WERE SO HOT BEHIND
THE DRY LINE IN COTULLA IN THE
AFTERNOON. THEY FIRED OFF A
FEW SHOWERS. THESE SHOWERS THEN
MOVED INTO WARM, HUMID AIR
CLOSER TO SAN ANTONIO AND
EXPLODED INTO THUNDERSTORMS.
YEAH. 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 HAIL STORM OF
4/12/2000, 16 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
AND LEON VALLEY AND EAST IN
ALAMO HEIGHTS IN KIRBY. AND
THIS ONE EVENT RESULTED IN
1.3, 6 BILLION DOLLARS OF
DAMAGE THAT ACTUALLY MAKES THIS
THE SECOND COSTLIEST HAIL STORM
IN TEXAS HISTORY TO 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 AN UPDRAFT 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 THERE 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 SUPERCOOLED
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 ON TO 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 2010.
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 ODD
SHAPE? WELL, 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 SUPERCOOLED
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. IT WITH THE PEN TO JUST
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 STORMS 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.
HALE IS VERY COMMON IN 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 P 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
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, 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. 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 YOUR CAR. IT'S 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
THE TIME 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 HAIL STORM. IF YOU'RE
DRIVING, TRY TO FIND A SAFE
PLACE TO PULL OVER, LIKE UNDER
A GAS STATION AWNING. HOWEVER,
YOU SHOULD NEVER, EVER, EVER
PARK UNDER A HIGHWAY OVERPASS.
WE SEE THIS ALL THE TIME.
THIS COULD LEAD TO CAR
ACCIDENTS AND END UP CREATING
MORE OF A MAX 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. 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 IS FREE FOR APPLE
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 WILSON ALERTS
RIGHT TO YOUR DEVICE ON THE
APP. YOU CAN ALSO DRAW PICTURES
OF WHAT YOU'RE SEEING AT HOME
THROUGH THE KSAT CONNECT
FEATURE. NOT ONLY WILL YOUR
PICTURE POSSIBLY BE USED ON
KSAT, BUT AS METEOROLOGISTS,
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.
YOU CAN CHECK OUT THIS FULL
EPISODE ANYTIME ON DEMAND AT
KSAT DOT COM SLASH EXPLAINS.
THAT'S WHERE YOU CAN ALSO VIEW
ANY EPISODE OF OUR SHOW THAT WE
HAVE DONE.
>> IN OUR 5 SEASON SO FAR, ALSO
ON KSAT.COM SLASH EXPLAINS.
LET US KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO
SEE US COVER. IF THERE'S
SOMETHING YOU'VE SEEN MAKING
HEADLINES, THAT YOU'VE GOT
QUESTIONS ABOUT OR JUST
SOMETHING AROUND TOWN. WE'LL
SEE YOU NEXT TUESDAY FOR OUR
NEXT LIVE STREAM. HAVE A GOOD
EVENING.