Regional and Mesoscale Meteorology Branch

Card “C”

Calling to report extremely deep hail.

Q1: Where are you calling from?
Q2: Are you currently in large hail?
Q3: What size is the hail?
Q4: When did it start?


If the hail is a foot deep or greater, and is “flowing:”

DISPATCHER NOTE: Hail that is a foot deep or greater, and is “flowing” represents a very dangerous situation. Call the Street Department, the Emergency Manager, and the National Weather Service to report the situation immediately.


If the caller is…

In an automobile: Card C1

Q1:Is your vehicle in deep hail?
Caller’s vehicle IS in deep hail:

Close all of your windows.
You should stay in your vehicle unless it begins to wash away toward a deep body of water (like a river). It is very dangerous to exit your car. You could be swept away and buried in the hail.
Caller’s car IS NOT in deep hail:
Tell the caller…
Do not drive into areas with deep hail. You could be swept away.
Do not leave your car until the hail stops. Your car will furnish reasonable protection.
Stay away from windows. Cover your eyes with something (like a piece of clothing). If possible, get onto the floor face down, or lay down on the seat with your back to the windows. Put very small children under you, and cover their eyes.

In a building (includes houses, mobile homes, etc.): Card C2

Q1: Is the deep hail inundating your house?
Tell the caller…

Stay inside. You could be swept off your feet by deepening hail.
Don’t go to the basement. The hail could burst through basement windows.
Stay away from windows, especially windows that are being hit by hail.
Check to make sure that all family members, building occupants, pets, etc. are accounted for.
Don’t go outside to move anything (like cars, plants, etc.) to safety. If it’s already hailing, it’s too late.
You need to hang up the phone now, because lightning can travel along phone lines and injure you.
NOTE: If the reported size is ¾” or greater, mark the location of the report on a map. Pass the report along to both the local Emergency Operations Center (or Emergency Manager), and the nearest National Weather Service office (as time permits).

Outdoors: Card C3

Q1: Is there any shelter around you?
Tell the caller…

  • keep away from areas with deep hail
  • Try to find shelter, to protect yourself from lightning exposure
  • Stay out of culverts and lowland areas that might fill suddenly with water

NOTE: If the reported size is ¾” or greater, mark the location of the report on a map. Pass the report along to both the local Emergency Operations Center (or Emergency Manager), and the nearest National Weather Service office (as time permits).

If the hail IS NOT a foot or more deep, nor “flowing” downhill:
Tell the caller…

  • Thank you for your call. We will pass this along to the proper authorities. Please call back if hail gets larger than an inch, or if the depth gets greater than a foot, or if deep hail begins flowing downhill and clogging drains.

NOTE: Pass the report along to both the local Emergency Operations Center (or Emergency Manager), and the nearest National Weather Service office (as time permits).