PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
240 PM EDT SUN APR 30 2000
SEVERE WEATHER PREPAREDNESS WEEK IN SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND FROM APRIL 30 THROUGH MAY 6.
LARGE HAIL CAN HURT AND CAUSE LOTS OF DAMAGE.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS DECLARED THE WEEK OF APRIL 30TH THROUGH MAY 6TH AS SEVERE WEATHER PREPAREDNESS WEEK. GOVERNOR PAUL CELUCCI OF MASSACHUSETTS HAS SIGNED AN OFFICIAL PROCLAMATION FOR THIS WEEK URGING ALL CITIZENS TO TAKE COGNIZANCE OF THIS EVENT AND TO PARTICIPATE FITTINGLY IN ITS OBSERVANCE. THE FOLLOWING IS THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENTS THAT WILL BE ISSUED THIS WEEK FOR SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS.
BASEBALL SIZE HAIL IN SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND? THAT NEVER HAPPENS HERE, RIGHT? WRONG. ON JULY 6 1999, LARGE HAIL RANGING IN SIZE FROM GOLFBALL (1.75 INCHES IN DIAMETER) TO BASEBALL (2.75 INCHES IN DIAMETER) WAS REPORTED IN BROCKTON MASSACHUSETTS. VIDEO PHOTOGRAPHY SHOWED THE HAIL PILING UP AND WHITENING THE STREETS.
ON JUNE 30 1998, BASEBALL SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED IN RICHMOND, RHODE ISLAND. THE STORM ASSOCIATED WITH THIS HAD PRODUCED A TORNADO EARLIER IN THE EVENING OVER NEW LONDON COUNTY CONNECTICUT, AND THE SAME STORM WENT ON TO PRODUCE A DAMAGING DOWNBURST IN FAIRHAVEN MASSACHUSETTS.
ON JUNE 20 1995, ANOTHER MAJOR HAIL STORM OCCURRED. BASEBALL SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED IN ELLINGTON CONNECTICUT. THE STORM PRODUCED ROTATING WALL CLOUDS BUT DID NOT PRODUCE A TORNADO. NEVERTHELESS AS IT MOVED STRAIGHT SOUTH THROUGH CONNECTICUT IT PRODUCED CLOSE TO A MILLION DOLLARS IN DAMAGE TO CAR DEALERSHIPS.
THE FOLLOWING CHART DEPICTS THE FREEFALL VELOCITY AND FREEFALL ENERGY ASSOCIATED WITH FALLING HAILSTONES. KEEP IN MIND THAT SOME HAILSTONES WILL FALL AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS DUE TO THEIR SHAPE, DENSITY, SPIN AXIS, COLLISIONS WITH OTHER STONES, ETC.
HAIL SIZE (IN) FREEFALL VELOCITY (MPH) FREEFALL ENERGY (FT-LBS)
0.50 34.7 .009
0.75 42.3 .044
1.00 49.8 1.43
1.25 55.9 3.53
1.50 61.4 7.35
1.75 66.2 13.56
2.00 71.6 23.71
THIS MEANS THAT A 2-INCH HAILSTONE PACKS NEARLY 17 TIMES THE PUNCH OF A 1-INCH HAILSTONE. OUCH! EARLIER THIS YEAR, A TEENAGER WAS KILLED IN THE DALLAS TEXAS AREA WHEN HE WAS HIT BY HAIL THAT WAS SOFTBALL SIZE. WHILE THAT WOULD BE EXCEPTIONALLY RARE FOR SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN HAVE BEEN INJURED WHILE OUTDOORS WAITING FOR THE BUSES WHEN 1-INCH DIAMETER HAIL WAS FALLING. MANY ROOFING AND SIDING PRODUCTS AS WELL AS VEHICLE METAL ARE DENTED BY HAIL, ESPECIALLY BEGINNING IN THE 1.0 TO 1.5 INCH DIAMETER RANGE.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ISSUES A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING WHEN HAIL AT LEAST 0.75 INCHES IN DIAMETER IS EXPECTED, OR WHEN WIND GUSTS ARE EXPECTED TO REACH AT LEAST 58 MPH. FIELD