How to Find on Weather Maps Where Hail Has Hit Previously

Storm Prediction Center

• 1

  Open your Internet browser and type in the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) URL.

• 2

  Note this map is for today's storm reports. Find the key in the lower left corner of the map where hail reports are indexed as green plot marks. Scroll down through the text reports under the map to the hail section. Locate the report in question.

• 3

  Choose a different day by clicking on the left arrow to go backward one day per click. Click on the right arrow to advance forward one day. Use the "page down" key to go to the very bottom of the screen. Enter the desired day's data in the small window just above the words "get data." For example, if you need hail reports for April 14, 2010, type in "100414" in a year-month-date format, and then click the "get data" button.

• 4

  Repeat the earlier procedure of identifying the hail markers on the screen, and then scroll to the hail text section to pinpoint locations and times. Note that times are in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), so subtract six hours for Eastern time, five for Central time, four for Mountain time and three for Pacific time during Daylight Saving Time. Subtract one hour more during Standard Time.

Hail Website

• 5

  Enter the hail watch URL in your browser.

• 6

  Click on the link "hail storm map" listed under the "maps" section in the right center of your screen. Familiarize yourself with the map navigation controls, which are the Internet standard "zoom," "pan" and "re-center" by using the functions at the upper left and the movable map box in the lower right part of the screen.

• 7

  Inspect the key located on the far left of the screen and note that hail sizes are color coded. Zoom in and choose one of the hail markers with your mouse. Click the mouse one time while the pointed finger icon is visible. The hail location, size and time of occurrence will display on the screen.

Paid Hail Data

• 8

  Sample fee-for-data websites that offer hail information by typing the live hail map URL into your browser. This is a paid service site designed for construction and insurance professionals. It is real-time and promises much greater accuracy for hail plots and size of hail stones than the SPC site.

• 9

  Copy and paste the live hail map URL into your browser for a sample map. Contact them at 888-929-4245 if you wish to learn more.

• 10

  Explore the hail watch, weather forensics and weather defender websites, which also offer high-resolution fee-for-service severe weather data.