When the National Weather Service puts out a severe weather warning in Austin, there's a chance that hail could be on the horizon - literally. It's a forecast that Austinites have to take seriously because hail is a fairly common occurrence in the area that can cause 100+ million dollars in damage in a single storm.
Hail is a commonly misunderstood weather occurrence. Even though hail is solid ice, it's actually a precipitation event from thunderstorms. If you live in Austin, here are some other important facts about hail that you should know.
As the saying goes, everything is bigger in Texas, including hail damage. Although South Dakota is the state with the largest hail ever recorded, extremely large hail has been known to happen in Austin. Hail has gotten so big in the past it's downed power lines, downed trees and killed livestock.
The size of hail is based on the max width of the diameter. Often the size of hail is compared to a ball. There can be ping pong ball size, golf ball size, tennis ball size and baseball size hail. There have even been instances of softball size hail in Austin.
The size of hail affects its speed coming down. Hail that's 1-inch in diameter (smaller than a ping pong ball) can hit objects like your roof at 40 miles per hour. And that softball size hail can slam into the ground or roofs at more than 100 MPH according to the NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory.
MUST READ: How to Storm Proof Your Home and Roof
The formation of hail has nothing to do with the temperature at ground level. Many people mistakenly think that hail is a winter phenomenon when in actuality hail is most likely during the spring and summer in Austin.
Hail is a product of thunderstorms with heavy rain, which are most likely between March and June. Hail forms when precipitation is pushed upward in the atmosphere where the temperature is below freezing. When the hail grows large enough or the upward draft in the thunderstorm weakens the hail then falls to the ground.
But this is just when hail storms are the most common. The worst hail storm in Austin's history, in terms of monetary damage, occurred on September 24, 2023. It was a widespread storm impacting North Austin, Round Rock and Pflugerville. The baseball to softball size hail caused over $300 million in damages in Travis County and Williamson County.
Looking at a previous hail report shows just how common hail is in the spring. Hail storms are so common in Austin during the spring March 25th is known as Hail Day. On this date there has been not one, not two but three major hail storms.
Austin isn't a massive sprawling metroplex like Houston, but it's big enough that one region can be significantly impacted by a hail storm while other areas don't get any hail at all. While there is a lot of discussion online about North Austin experiencing more hail than other regions, it can happen anywhere from Wells Branch Parkway to Far West Blvd to Slaughter Lane.
One study showed that atmospheric conditions are most influential in where precipitation occurs in Travis County compared to the local terrain. That said, the Balcones Fault Zone (also known as the Balcones Escarpment) does have a slight impact on increasing precipitation in West and North Austin, which means it could increase the likelihood of hail in those regions.
A local meteorologist also explained the Balcones Escarpment effect, noting that storms drop out near the fault zone pushing into NW Austin and re-establishes east of Austin as the storms continue on their way.
It's worth noting that all of the major hail storms mentioned above took place in portions of north Austin in addition to other parts of the area.
Given the likelihood of hail in Austin, it's in every property owner's interest to understand how their insurance policy covers hail damage. It's typical for hail damage to be covered by insurance, however, there may be a separate deductible. It's also important to know what exactly is covered. Usually roofs, fences and siding repair are covered for hail damage.
But the catch is you need a professional roof inspection for insurance to cover hail damage. The insurance claim adjuster isn't going to simply take the property owner at their word before spending thousands on a new roof. They want a professional roofer to verify hail damage occurred and a roof replacement is necessary.
If you need to have your roof inspected for hail damage give LOA a call. We provide free inspections and can help property owners with insurance claims for roofs, siding and more after a hail storm. If you prefer, our team can even communicate directly with your insurer.
Don't wait if your roof could have been damaged by hail. Call us at 855-661-3431 for fast assistance.
Dedicated to excellence, our Austin roofing company ensures quality in every project. Contact our skilled Central Texas roofers for a same-day, hassle-free inspection. Call +1 (512) 375-3654 to book your free inspection.