Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jul 7
100-mph Winds Hurl Golf Ball-Size Hail Near Oklahoma Tornado
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jul 7

100-mph Winds Hurl Golf Ball-Size Hail Near Oklahoma Tornado

1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 7

Summary

  • Golf ball-size hail began flying diagonally in 100-mph winds as a tornado crossed an Oklahoma road about two football fields from Dr. Sean Waugh and a reporter.
  • The hail arrived just after a dark storm cloud churned and a jagged funnel dropped, with debris erupting at its base as the twister carved across the asphalt.
  • Dr. Waugh, a meteorologist chasing the storm, described the scene as “fascinatingly terrifying” before putting on a safety helmet and climbing onto his truck bed for a clearer view.
  • The report frames the encounter as part of a broader look at hail, a destructive weather threat that often sits in the United States’ billion-dollar disaster blind spot.

Insights

With storm chasing on the rise, are we ignoring the fatal lessons from past tragedies?
If 300 mph winds are possible, why aren't storm shelters mandatory in Tornado Alley homes?
Can new AI technology finally predict deadly tornadoes before they even begin to form?