Top 5 Weather Events of 2023: #4 - Huge Hail
In late June, what would be considered giant hail by local standards pelted backyards, patio furniture and decking around the Metro Area. Hail was first reported around 5:30pm as severe thunderstorms exploded over West Baton Rouge and East Baton Rouge Parishes.
"I've never seen something like it before, it was intense. Then it got to where I was at the end of the patio and it even started coming through the awning and it felt like bullets flying at my head, it was that hard. I mean they were huge they were like quarters or even bigger than that," Brusly resident Kaci Bergeron said.
There were several reports of hail over 2.25 inches in diameter. One stone measured around 3.25 inches after some melting in the Riverbend area. That marked the largest ever measured in the Storm Station viewing area. To put the event into perspective, since 1950, there had only been 11 reports of hail greater than 2 inches in diameter.
The next day, local roofing companies had their work cut out for them. Hail just one inch and diameter caused serious damage. The record setting stones meant a lot of repairs needed to be done.
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