Grapefruit-sized hail pounded Cullman during Monday night's storms.
In anticipation of the release of emergency recovery funds in the wake of Monday night’s battering hail storms, the Cullman County Commission approved a declaration of emergency Tuesday at a specially-called meeting.
The commission’s declaration of emergency follows Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey’s emergency declaration for North Alabama counties affected by the storms, which dropped grapefruit-sized hail over portions of Cullman County and wrought extensive property damage.
SHATTERED GLASS: Check out the sheer amount of hail damage done to the vehicles at Mitch Smith Chevrolet in Cullman in this surveillance video timelapse. Get the details: https://t.co/zzzUv2QLyb pic.twitter.com/Zp0gOvPDU0
— WHNT (@whnt) March 20, 2018 Commissioners and department heads will have a better idea of the storm’s financial impact once insurance assessors have surveyed the damage. The Cullman County Sheriff’s Office sustained damage to at least 20 vehicles, as well as significant damage to the roof, nine air conditioning units mounted on the rooftop, and exterior siding and fireproofing insulation at its Beech Avenue headquarters, including the newly-built Training Center, as well as the Cullman County Detention Center.
Several of the Cullman County Sheriff's Office's vehicles were damaged by hail. Vehicle and structural damage also affected the Cullman County Emergency Management Agency, the Cullman County Water Department, and the court referral office, where the hail knocked out skylights and allowed water to enter the building.
EMA director Phyllis Little said several outreach agencies including the Red Cross, the United Methodist Association, and the Salvation Army would be in Cullman Tuesday afternoon to help place roof tarps and provide other practical assistance to private property owners who sustained hail damage at their homes and places of business.
With rains returning Tuesday afternoon, commissioners said they will work quickly to secure a contractor to repair structural breaches and prevent water damage, as well as the onset of mold and mildew at the sheriff’s office and other county offices. The emergency declaration allows the commission to expedite that work through the solicitation of sealed bids, rather than the more time-consuming process of advertising for bids.
The commission approved the declaration on a vote of 2-0. Associate commissioner Garry Marchman was out of town and did not attend the emergency meeting.
Robby Hollis picks up pieces of his broken mailbox while he cleans up after Monday night's hail storm.
Charlie Childers puts a tarp on the roof of his home after it was damaged Monday night.
Rusty Moore helps put a tarp on the roof of Charlie Childers' house in the Carrol Acres neighborhood Tuesday afternoon.
Several Cullman County school buses were damaged by the hail.
The hail dented the roof and sides, knocked out windows and broke lights of buses at the Cullman County Schools Transportation Department garage.
Hail damage from Monday's storm also included other Cullman County School vehicles.
The Cullman County Sheriff's Office's training facility sustained damage from the large hail Monday night.
Vehicles and buildings belonging to the Cullman Area Rural Transportation System were also damaged by hail Monday night.
Buses that were parked at the CARTS office sustained damage to windshields and windows.
Stores in the Marketplatz shopping center sustained damage from the hail storm Monday night.
Stores in the Marketplatz shopping center sustained damage from the hail storm Monday night.
Shelter at Sportsman Lake By Amanda Shavers-Davis 21 hrs ago Cullman residents seek shelter at Sportsman Lake Park. Hail at Golden Corral.jpg
Hail knocked out the windows of several cars at Tony Serra Nissan.
New cars on the lot of Mitch Smith Chevrolet were damaged by hail during Monday's storms.
Poster Comment:
In a Grand Solar Minimum solar radiation is reduced which allows more cosmic radiation (from exploding stars) to reach the earth. Cosmic rays received by the earth are up 13% since 2015. This increases cloud cover and brings clouds closer to the earth which makes for increased extreme weather incidents in addition to Global Cooling.
Cullman county is in north Alabama. It has 80,000 people. Hundreds of cars at dealerships were damaged. The county is near Birmingham. It is 94.7% white.