Severe Storm Front Causes Flooding and Hail Damage in Nebraska
Severe Storm Front Causes Flooding and Hail Damage in Nebraska
On Tuesday, August 31, 2010, a narrow corridor of strong to severe thunderstorms flared up across the southeast sections of the NWS Hastings area. These storms traveled along a line from near Hebron, Nebraska through Osborne, Kansas. They formed along a well-defined cold front that had already pushed through a lot of the area earlier in the day. Hail the size of a quarter or half dollar was reported two miles east of Alexandria, Nebraska at 5:55 PM. Four inches of rain was measured in Chester, Nebraska causing some localized flooding.
A few weeks earlier, on August 4, 2010 hail stones the size of baseballs were reported in Omaha, Nebraska. This particular hailstorm caused excessive damage to roofs and car windshields in the Omaha area.
Summer in Nebraska brings thunderstorms. Tornados, flash floods, and hail are all by-products of thunderstorms. Although hailstorms occur all over the country, they are more prominent in “The Great Plains” including Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Ohio and Wisconsin. This dubious honor is what caused The Great Plains to be nicknamed “hail alley.”
It is estimated that the costs associated with hail damage in the United States total one to two billion dollars per year. These costs are mostly comprised of damage to cars, car windshields, and the roofs of homes and commercial buildings.
If you have recently experienced a hailstorm in your area, be sure to document the damage to your car or roof with photographs, and contact your insurance agent as soon as possible. While damage to your car or windshield can be easily detected, damage to your roof can be a little trickier. The best way to determine if your roof has experienced hail damage is to have it inspected by a licensed, experienced roofing professional and make the necessary hail damage roof repairs. Assessing and repairing the damage quickly can prevent further damage to your home or commercial building.
