Texas Declares War on Hail

(Source)- Thousands of severe hailstorms pelt the U.S. each year,​causing, on average, $1 billion in damage to crops and property. The expense is so extreme that a few years ago Texas, eager to find ways to reduce insured losses, declared a war on hail.

Mother Nature wasn’t listening. The state has already been pummeled twice this year by major hailstorms, and the season has only just begun.

Because few lives are lost to hail, the storms don’t attract as much attention as tornadoes or hurricanes, but they occur more frequently, last longer and cover wider areas, leading to extensive and expensive damage.

The icy projectiles can puncture roofs, shatter windshields, shred crops and, on rare occasion, take lives. Since 1990, hail has killed 14 people in the U.S. and injured more than 1,000, according to statistics kept by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

You've heard of the war on drugs, the war on Christmas and even Jason Whitlocks new war on domestic violence (figure that one out).  What you haven't heard of is Texas' war on hail.   Between 1999 and 2011 Texas lost $10.1 billion in insurance losses to hail damage.  This is something not limited to just Texas either.  Hail in the Great Plains and Midwest is legendary.  The largest stone ever recorded fell in Vivian, SD in 2010.  It measured 7.9" in diameter and 18.62" of circumference.  It weighed 1.94 lbs.  

September 2010 hailstone from Vivian, SD (image KELO)

The northeast is not immune to these storms either.  On August 4, 2015 a super cell thunderstorm dropped 2" in diameter hail in Boston smashing car windows.

As anyone who has ever had a smashed windshield it sucks.  Thank god for JN Phillips and parking lot service to replace windshields.  Of course if an 8" in diameter hailstone falls on your car you are going to need more than just JN Phillips to fix the damage.  Its safe to say Texas lost the battle today but keep fighting friends.

DFW NBC 5 hail damage photo 

Via FOX4