Hail storms are proving to be more prevalent this year as we make our way through the rainy, stormy Spring season.

These storms can bring of mixture of hail, sizing from marbles to apples – which can mean trouble for your skylights and sun tunnels!

Here are some facts about Hail Storms as mentioned by The Weather Channel:

1. Hail is a form of precipitation — like rain or snow — that is made up of solid ice.

2. It is not the same thing as frozen rain.

Frozen rain falls as water but freezes as it gets near the ground.

Hail falls as a solid, known as hailstone.

3. Hailstones are formed when rain droplets are carried upwards by a current of air, called an updraft, during thunderstorms – the stronger the storm, the larger the hail!

 Hailstones grow in size as the frozen moisture droplets collide with surrounding water vapor, causing that water to freeze on the hailstone’s surface in layers.

A frozen droplet will start to fall back towards earth from a storm cloud, then be pushed back up into the cloud by an updraft, hitting rain droplets — which

freeze on its surface — as it moves.

Winds inside a thunderstorm aren’t just up and down, though, especially in severe storms. There are horizontal winds, such as rotating updrafts in supercell thunderstorms, which can move the hailstone too and affect how it grows. Eventually, the hail does fall to the ground.

4. Hailstones can be clear or cloudy.

5. Hail storms can happen all year long.

If the storms are strong enough, hail can be produced.

6. Hail storms can cause significant damage.

Hailstones can cause a lot of damage to buildings, vehicles, crops and livestock.

In fact, hail causes approximately $1 billion in property and crop damage every year in the United States.

While quarter-size hail will cause damage to shingles, golf ball-size hail can cause dents on cars and baseball-sized hail can smash windshields. Softball sized hail, meanwhile, can cause holes in roofs.

7. The best way to protect yourself from a hailstorm is to be prepared, especially if you live in a hail-prone region!

It’s always a good idea to make a disaster preparedness plan for your family so that you all know where to go for safety and how to contact each other after any emergency (hail, tornadoes, fire, flooding, etc).

If severe weather occurs, such as a bad thunderstorm, tune in to the radio or another news source to make sure you stay up to date of any immediate threats to your family or property.

Always be sure to seek shelter indoors if you are ever caught in a hail storm!

What should I do if I have damage to my skylights from a hail storm?

After a hail storm, safely check your skylights for any cracks, dents, or other signs of damage.

Do not try to remove the skylight or any shingles on the roof yourself, as you might cause more damage to the skylight and injure yourself or others.

I have damaged skylights…what do I do??

If you are under the Velux 10-Year Hail Damage Warranty, you can call Velux directly to start a solutions call: 1-800-888-3589

Not a Velux or St. Louis Skylights customer? No problem!

We’re always looking for ways to assist with skylight troubleshooting and would be happy to schedule a free inspection appointment!