6 tips to help you minimize damage when encountering hailstorms.

According to meteorological warnings, hailstorms are a dangerous extreme weather phenomenon that only gradually subsides when the rainy season arrives, which is around the end of May. People can recognize an impending hailstorm based on a few characteristics such as: strong thunderstorms during the day, dark clouds in the sky; lightning and thunder at night, the wind suddenly stops blowing, and the weather suddenly turns cold...

If you see a storm brewing, with dark clouds covering almost the entire sky, resembling breasts, and then strong winds and thunder erupt, creating a loud noise..."Rumble, rumble"If the weather is consistently cold, be wary of hailstorms. If a few raindrops fall followed by a sudden drop in temperature, it's a sign that hail is coming. Everyone should immediately find safe shelter.

Illustrative image/Source: Internet.

To minimize damage when hailstorms may strike unexpectedly, keep these 8 tips in mind:

1.If you encounter hailstorms while outdoors, you should immediately stop, find shelter, and wear a helmet to protect yourself from falling hailstones. Wait for the hail on the road to melt before continuing to avoid slipping and falling. For hailstorms with large hailstones, people should find places to hide, such as under tables or beds, or use hard objects to cover their heads.

Illustrative image/Source: Internet.

2.For roofs, regular inspections and reinforcement are necessary. Impact-resistant materials should be used in critical areas. The roof frame and purlins should also be made of strong, corrosion-resistant materials and carefully reinforced. Materials and construction techniques can improve the rigidity of the roof frame and help reduce damage from hailstorms.

3.Sloping roofs on both sides: This roofing method will reduce the impact force from hailstones. Hailstones striking a roof at a 90-degree angle will cause more damage than hailstones falling at an angle.

4.For cars, it's necessary to park them in a sturdy garage or parking space. If you don't have a garage, prepare an inflatable car cover, an accessory kit that includes a waterproof car cover with an air chamber to create a protective air cushion, powered by the car's electrical system or a backup battery. When the air pump isn't activated, the cover can be used to protect against rain and sun like a regular cover.

Illustrative image/Source: Internet.

5.For crops or flowers that are easily damaged, you can erect a protective structure along the rows. A triangular-shaped structure will help reduce the impact of hailstones upon impact; the hail will fall to the sides of the plant rows without piercing the structure. Remember to erect sturdy support stakes.

6.Besides the aforementioned danger, hailstorms can also pose other hazards, such as carrying toxins and acids. If the clouds are formed from contaminated water sources or unclean environments, the contaminants in the hailstones can harm human skin and cause allergies. Therefore, before using water contaminated with hailstones, people should take water samples to centers for quality testing.