Missouri Hailstorm Reaching Baseball Size, Smashes Cars in Springfield

Springfield, Missouri, endured a violent storm system on April 28, 2026, dropping hailstones with a diameter of up to 12 centimeters (4.7 inches).

While the footage from inside the vehicle looks like a Hollywood disaster scene, the destructive kinetic energy of the ice reveals a grim reality of extreme weather.

Hail this size – comparable to a grapefruit – falls at terminal velocities exceeding 120 kph (75 mph), explaining why standard laminated windshields shatter in mere seconds. Local reports confirm that while most stones averaged 7 centimeters (2.7 inches), the record-breaking 12 cm chunks redefined the storm's severity.