Giant Hail in Australia: How to Check Storm Warnings and Prepare Safely

Reviewed October 27, 2026. Giant hail can break windows, damage vehicles and injure people. In Australia, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) issues Severe Thunderstorm Warnings when dangerous storms are occurring, likely, or reported. This guide explains how to check the warning for your area and prepare. It is general safety information, not a claim that a warning is active anywhere right now.

Start with an official storm warning

Check the BOM’s Warnings and Alerts page or the BOM Weather app. Search for the town, suburb or district where you are, rather than relying on a general forecast for a whole state. The app can show active warnings and warning details, and its notifications can be set for up to three Australian locations. If you commute, travel, or care for people in another town, consider adding the relevant places.

Open the warning and read its text, not only its color or map. Look for the affected districts and locations, the listed hazards, when the warning was issued, when the next update is expected, and the recommended actions. A warning can cover a broad forecast district, so check whether your address is inside the area and whether the storm’s forecast movement points toward it. Recheck for updates as conditions change.

The BOM issues two formats of Severe Thunderstorm Warning. A detailed warning for a capital city and surrounding area can show the storm’s position, a short-term movement direction and an immediate threat area. A regional warning identifies broader districts where severe storms are occurring or may occur over the next three hours. Thunderstorms can form, change and dissipate quickly, and the exact path can be difficult to predict. Treat the warning instructions seriously even if the storm is not yet overhead.

Use radar as a second source of context, not as an all-clear. The Bureau explains that radar has range and coverage limitations; a storm may be higher in the atmosphere or outside the most useful range. A radar loop or automated storm tracker is not the same as an official warning. If a warning covers your area but the radar looks quiet, follow the warning and keep checking official updates.

What “large hail” and “giant hail” mean

The Bureau classifies a thunderstorm as severe when it produces or is expected to produce at least one qualifying hazard. Its published thresholds distinguish large hail from giant hail and also cover damaging wind and dangerous rain. A warning may mention more than one threat, so do not focus on hail alone.

These are warning thresholds, not a promise that every place inside an affected district will receive hail of that size. The warning explains which locations may be affected and what the Bureau expects. The official BOM severe weather warning guide describes the warning types, hazard details and recommended actions.

Illustrative example: follow one warning from alert to shelter

Imagine Jordan, a fictional renter in an Australian suburb, receives a notification that a Severe Thunderstorm Warning includes their district and lists large or giant hail. This is a made-up example, not a real warning, storm report or test result. Jordan opens the Bureau alert, confirms the suburb is within the warning area, checks the issue time and next update, and reads the listed hazards. Jordan then checks the relevant state or territory emergency-service channel for local instructions. That sequence turns a notification into a plan: where to shelter, what to bring inside, and whether travel should be postponed.

If the warning is broad or the storm is still some distance away, Jordan uses the available time to bring pets indoors and secure loose outdoor items, but only while it is safe. Jordan does not wait for hail to appear before moving to shelter. If a later update changes the threat area or gives new action advice, Jordan follows the latest instructions rather than relying on the first alert.

Prepare your home, vehicle and household before storms arrive

Do the work before a storm is close. The NSW State Emergency Service recommends checking roof condition, clearing gutters and drains, securing loose items, planning for pets and keeping a charged phone ready. Avoid roof work or ladders once severe weather is approaching. If you rent, alert the property manager about existing roof, window or drainage damage and know what you can safely move or secure yourself.

• Reduce outdoor hazards: Bring in or firmly secure patio furniture, bins, toys and trampolines. Close and secure windows and exterior doors, and draw curtains or blinds to help keep broken glass away from people.
• Choose a shelter area: Identify an indoor place well away from windows, doors and skylights. Make sure everyone in the household knows where to go, including children, visitors and anyone who may need mobility or medical equipment.
• Plan for essentials: Keep medications, prescriptions, first-aid supplies, drinking water, a flashlight, sturdy shoes, a phone charger and a battery pack together. Charge devices and keep a battery-powered radio available if you may lose power or mobile service.
• Protect a vehicle early: If available, park under solid cover. If not, NSW SES advises parking away from trees and covering a vehicle with a securely tied tarp or blankets when hail is forecast. Do not run outside to move a car once hail or dangerous winds have started.
• Make a household plan: Decide how you will receive updates, where family members will meet if separated, and how you will manage pets, health needs and transport. Check your local emergency-service website for advice specific to your state or territory.

Emergency warnings and weather warnings are related but serve different purposes. The BOM describes the weather threat. State and territory emergency services may also issue local protective advice or evacuation instructions. For example, NSW SES uses the Australian Warning System levels Advice, Watch and Act, and Emergency Warning: its guidance links them to preparing and monitoring, taking protective action such as staying indoors or avoiding an area, and seeking shelter now. Read the full instruction for your location; do not assume a color or label means the same immediate action in every situation.

What to do during hail and after the storm

When thunderstorm conditions reach you, go inside and stay well clear of windows, doors and skylights. The Bureau advises people to avoid landline phones during a thunderstorm and to unplug electrical equipment before severe weather arrives. Keep monitoring official warnings or local radio if safe to do so. Do not go outside to retrieve property, check the roof or collect hailstones.

If you are caught outdoors, move to a solid building or hard-top vehicle as soon as possible. The Bureau says there is no safe place outdoors during a thunderstorm and specifically warns against sheltering beneath a tree. If you are driving, travel only if essential; seek secure shelter away from trees, power lines, creeks, causeways and low-lying areas. Never drive, walk or ride through floodwater. If water covers the road, turn around and find another route or wait until it is safe.

After the storm, keep away from fallen power lines, damaged trees and unstable roofs or walls. Treat a fallen power line as live and do not touch it or anything it contacts. Follow local authority instructions before returning to an evacuated area or entering a damaged building. When it is safe, document property damage and contact your insurer. For non-life-threatening storm assistance, the Australian Government’s Triple Zero guidance lists the State Emergency Service at 132 500; check your state or territory service for local details. Call Triple Zero (000) when someone is seriously injured, in immediate danger, or needs urgent help.

A quick warning-check routine

• Check the Bureau’s current warnings for your exact location and turn on relevant app notifications.
• Read the warning’s affected area, hail and other hazards, issue time, next update and recommended action.
• Check your state or territory emergency-service channel for local protective advice.
• Move people and pets indoors, secure items early, and shelter away from windows when the storm arrives.
• Recheck updates, avoid floodwater and damaged infrastructure, and call 000 for an immediate life-threatening emergency.

For Jordan in the example, the useful preparation happened before hail began: checking the affected district, understanding the warning, getting household members and pets inside, and choosing a safe room. The same steps can help readers across Australia, while the exact warning area and local emergency instructions will depend on the storm and the state or territory involved.