"SALADO, Texas – Severe thunderstorms dropped hail larger than grapefruits in Central Texas Tuesday afternoon. Salado was under a Tornado Warning it is believed a twister moved through the area just after 5:30 p.m. CDT.
Significant tornado damage was reported, and nearly a dozen people were injured, one of those which were in critical condition. The Methodist Church in Salado has been set up as a shelter for those affected by the tornado.
Hail is expected to remain below golf ball size with the storms. The largest hailstone recorded in the U.S. was nearly the size of a volleyball. It measured 8 inches in diameter and 18.62 inches in circumference and was found in Vivian, South Dakota, in 2010. It weighed nearly 2 pounds.
In Texas, the largest hailstone was recorded last year in Hondo, Texas on April 28th, 2021. It measured 6.4" in diameter."
According to the NWS, when reporting hail, estimates comparing the hail to a known object with a definite size are good, but measurements using a ruler, calipers, or a tape measure are best. Here are the most common measurements:
Pea = 1/4 inch diameter
Mothball = 1/2 inch diameter
Penny = 3/4 inch diameter
Nickel = 7/8 inch
Hail quarter size or larger is considered severe
Quarter = 1 inch
Ping-Pong Ball = 1 1/2 inch
Golf Ball = 1 3/4 inches
Tennis Ball = 2 1/2 inches
Baseball = 2 3/4 inches
Tea cup = 3 inches
Softball = 4 inches
Grapefruit = 4 1/2 inches
The largest hailstone recorded in the U.S. was 8 inches in diameter and 18.62 inches in circumference, found in Vivian, South Dakota, in 2010. That's about the size of a volleyball! It weighed nearly 2 pounds.
Golf ball- to softball-sized hail can fall at speeds ranging from 44 to 72 mph, according to the National Weather Service, while larger stones can reach 100 mph."