Oh hail, no!
Summary
Hazard-specific warnings can help you prepare for whatever nature might literally throw your way
Key Highlights
Costly: hail causes billions of dollars in damage each year in the U.S.
Dangerous: hail can cause significant injury to those caught outside
Mitigate risk: utilize AccuWeather For Business forecasts and warnings
Impacts
Hail is a very destructive hazard, causing billions of dollars in damage to vehicles and buildings, and potentially causing injury to anyone caught outside. Disruption to travel is likely during a hail event, with roads becoming slick and covered with hailstones while also potentially becoming flooded and impassable due to street drainage blocked by ice.
Last week, Norman, OK, Fort Worth and San Antonio, TX all experienced significant hail events, with hailstones as large as grapefruits falling and sometimes being driven by severe wind gusts of 70 to 80 mph.
Windows and windshields were smashed, cars dented, and roofs pocketed with holes, leaving a lengthy clean-up and recovery period for those impacted. This occurred during an ongoing period of supply vs. demand concerns in the construction industry, adding insult to injury.
Importance of Advance Notice
While avoiding a hailstorm isn’t always possible, you can position assets in a safe location or make changes to transportation routes to temporarily mitigate risk until the storm passes.
AccuWeather For Business forecast products outline areas of anticipated severe weather and are accompanied by 1:1 consulting that allows you to get a full understanding of potential threats directly from a meteorologist assigned to your asset location(s).
Having that “tap on the shoulder” notification about severe weather allows clients to make critical adjustments to their operations, relocate items to covered spaces, or reroute shipments around the region expected to be impacted by severe storms.
Just-in-time Warnings
As storms begin to develop and intensify, you can be assured that a SkyGuard meteorologist is monitoring both the storm and your location. They are trained in radar interpretation and are able to estimate hail size, as well as review ground-truth observations from around the storm.
When you receive a hail warning from AccuWeather For Business, it will be for your specific location, including the start and end times for hail, and will inform you about the anticipated hail size so you can take immediate life-saving action.
Contact us today to learn more!
