‘Gorilla Hail’ Struck Kansas And Missouri Amid Severe Weather

(CTN News) – The Kansas City Star reports that Kansas and Missouri residents have been advised to stay indoors after massive hail pieces have been pelting the bordering states, causing severe traffic along Interstate 70 along both states’ bordering states.

Several unconfirmed tornadoes were reported in Kansas, according to American media, while the National Weather Service (NWS) issued warnings that quarter-size hail was expected to fall across northern Kansas overnight until 6am on Thursday morning.

Alex Sosnowski, senior meteorologist at AccuWeather, described the hail as being the size of golf balls, a golf ball, an apple, a softball, and a baseball, which he characterized as being “gorilla hail”.

The term ‘extreme meteorologist’ was coined by Reed Timmer, an avid storm chaser who describes himself as an extreme weather expert.

If you get up to the size of a tennis ball, a baseball, or, for that matter, a softball, that can do an incredible amount of damage to you, and if you are hit in the head, that could be fatal,” Sosnowski explained.

On KSHB-TV, a video of a hail storm with large hail chunks, as well as at least one windshield that had been cracked, was shown.

As of Thursday morning, the National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for parts of Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Kansas. As a result, forecasters project that the storm will move eastward in the near future.

From northeastern Texas to central Missouri, high winds and heavy rain are still possible, but heavy rain is not expected.

As well, Sosnowski told reporters that torrential rains are expected from central Louisiana up through central Arkansas on Friday as well.

SEE ALSO:

Time Magazine Highlights Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s Vision