Extreme Hail!

"QUANTUM SHOT" #353 link When nature decides to shoot it all to smithereens - ...it uses giant ice bullets. Extreme hail is probably the most dangerous and life-threating weather event for those unlucky enough to be in the open. It leaves fist-sized dents in the sheet metal, destroys windshields and comes down with a force that some compare with hand grenades, or an artillery attack. A murderous hailstorm in the Middle East, which decimated livestock and seemed to particularly dislike SUVs: (photos credit: bankny) Guo Huang sent us photographs, documenting the process and aftermath of one such crazy "drum-solo" from hell: (photo credit: noaa.gov) (image credit: wigley.us) Larger hailstones (bigger than 4 inches) usually have rings, which are visible if you split them in the middle: The growing ice-crystals are fusing together, which results in irregular shape for the giant hail: (images credit: Weather Prediction) Extreme hail often accompanies tornadoes, so most impressive videos usually come from tornado-chasers: or watch this car getting trashed by this monster hail: (some language, naturally) Airplanes are significantly damaged by hailstorms sometimes, as well. Here is an EasyJet Boeing 737-300: On a lighter note, this little critter seem to come prepared: (original unknown) +StumbleUpon Permanent Link... Category: Nature,Weird Dark Roasted Blend's Photography Gear Picks: