Hail and Ice

Hail and Ice Related Information:

Although some areas around the country and the world enjoy mild weather most of the time, there are places that suffer hazardous weather conditions, including severe winters and a range of storms including thunderstorms and tornadoes. Winter weather can be extremely treacherous in some areas, with below freezing temperature and blizzards causing illness, destruction and death in some cases. Other aspects of winter weather that pose a danger to those within the area are hail and ice.

Hail causes a surprising amount of damage to crops and property in some areas, and in monetary terms this amounts to around one billions dollars. Hail is formed when updrafts carry water droplets to below freezing levels and then downdrafts push them back down so that they begin to fall. On the way down these droplets – which will now have formed in to tiny balls of ice – may get pushed up again by another updraft, adding to their size. They are then pushed down again by another downdraft, but this time bigger than they were before. The size of a hailstone depends on how many times it is pushed to sub-zero levels by updrafts.

Even tiny hailstones have been known to cause significant amounts of damage, although death by hail is very rare in most civilised countries. These stones race to earth with enormous speed, and the bigger they are the harder they fall – and the more damage they cause. Hail is common in many areas during winter, and the average shower of hail is relatively short, which helps to minimise on damage. Hail often accompanies thunderstorms, and is created by the updrafts and downdrafts that come from the thunderstorm.

Ice is another hazardous weather condition that affects many major cities and areas around the world. As rain and snow fall to the ground in the winter months, the freezing temperatures can result in the formation of ice. Rain and snow may have settled on roads, sidewalks, cars, trees, plants – just about anywhere. And when this rain and snow is turned in to ice, the dangers begin.

Ice on the roads can be treacherous and is responsible for many accidents each year, many of which result in fatalities. Black ice in particular is a real hazard as it is difficult to spot. Icy sidewalks can cause numerous falls and injuries, making even a short walk down the street a potential danger to health. And as the snow on the tree braches turns to ice, the weight upon the branches increases and poses the risk of snapping and falling branches.

There are many ways in which hail and ice can pose health hazards as well as destruction. If you are out and about driving in these conditions you risk anything from a cracked windscreen to a fatal road traffic accident caused by patches of ice on the roads. If you are walking in this weather, you could find yourself being pelted with stinging balls of ice, or slipping and falling on the sidewalk or even in the road. It is important that you take extra care and extra precautions during these weather conditions. If you must drive, do so with the utmost of care – you never know when you might come across a patch of black ice, an out of control vehicle, or pedestrian who slips and falls in front of your car. Wherever possible try and stay indoors and off the road in this sort of weather.

And remember that, in conditions such as these, power lines and other services may be affected. You should make sure that you are prepared for the coming weather and that you have plenty of essential supplied in the home in case you are unable to get out for any length of time.