These 7 Photos And Videos Captured The Biggest Hail Storm In Oklahoma History Back In 2010

Tornadoes are usually front and center for Oklahoma weather-related events but this time we're taking a look back at hail storms. If you've ever been the victim of hail damage then you know the seriousness of hail. Luckily, we don't hold any record-breaking records for this event but we have seen our share over the years of some massive hail. Scroll all the way to the end to see one of the craziest hail storms in the Sooner State.

The costliest hailstorms in Oklahoma took place just a few weeks apart from each other on May 10 and 16 in 2010. The two hail storms combined totaled around $1 billion in damages.

The single, largest recorded hailstorm in the state fell near the town of Gotebo on May 23, 2011. The hailstone was 6.0" in diameter and fell 2" short of the national record of 8".

It caused significant damage to cars, breaking windshields and caving in the roof.

Hail falls from as high as 30,000 feet at speeds of around 120 mph. Imagine a baseball being dropped from that distance and you'll begin to see the damage large hailstones can cause to homes, buildings, cars, crops, and people.

Even though the largest hailstone was recorded in 2011, the hail storm in 2010 was more widespread and intense. It hit the Oklahoma City metro area, with hail drifts reaching several feet deep over some areas.

Watch these two videos below of the violent hailstorms from 2010:

Did you live in one of these areas during these hailstorms? If so, tell us about your experience.

Can you imagine a third of your town being destroyed within a matter of minutes? That’s what happened to the small, close-knit community of Pryor, Oklahoma on April 27, 1942. At approximately 5:00 p.m. local time, an EF4 tornado swept through the main business district of town and the residential section, demolishing 500 buildings, killing 52 people and injuring 350 others. As if the tornado wasn’t bad enough, the town was hit with torrential rains that left knee-deep water in town – halting rescue and cleanup efforts. Click here to take a look back to that terrifying day in 1942.