The afternoon sky looked deceptively calm when I stepped outside. Then I noticed the clouds—dark, twisted, moving in an odd zigzag pattern across the horizon like a drunken snake. Within minutes, the first ice pellets struck my shoulders with surprising gentleness. I almost laughed at my earlier worry.
That laughter died quickly. The hail suddenly intensified, transforming from harmless pebbles into golf ball-sized projectiles. I sprinted toward the house as the storm unleashed its unexpected force, ice chunks pummeling the ground around me. Safe inside, I watched through the window as nature’s fury carved its chaotic path across our neighborhood.
Submitted by: Tara Pearson
Date of submission: November 24, 2025