How can you prepare for hail, keep your car safe? What to know with storm coming to WA

The storm set to hit Washington on Wednesday, March 26 is expected to bring hail to the Puget Sound region. According to the National Weather Service in Seattle, there’s a 15% to 29% chance that pieces of hail could exceed one inch in diameter in some parts of the state.

That diameter — roughly the size of a quarter — would be enough to make meet NWS’s criteria for “severe” hail fall.

If you’re looking to keep yourself or your belongings safe during the storm, here’s everything you need to know.

How to stay safe in a hail storm

According to Hollie Stark, outreach program manager at the Washington Emergency Management Division, one of the first things you should do when there’s hail in the forecast is sign up for local weather alerts.

“The first thing I would tell anybody to do anywhere in the state is to opt in to a local alert system, whether that’s their favorite weather service, if they’re following their county on social media, or we have the opportunity for them to opt in to local alerts, which is a text-based opt-in,” Stark told McClatchy in a phone call.

EMD maintains a list of the local weather alert service in each Washington county. You can find the list at mil.wa.gov/alerts.

Aside from that, the best thing you can do to stay safe is go inside.

“If you are in a place where you can, you want to get inside, away from the elements,” Stark said.

To make sure that you’re not stuck on the road in a hail storm, which can threaten visibility and make for unsafe driving conditions, Stark recommended planning your commute around the forecast.

“Make sure that you’re planning your commute time from work a few hours earlier, if you can do that,” Stark said.

Other than that, Stark said that most hail preparedness tips are along the lines of general emergency preparedness tips – having spare food and water at home, knowing where a flashlight is, making sure your car’s gas tank is at least half full and that your insurance plan covers severe weather.

“Do the big things well in advance so that when we get to a day like this, because they’re inevitable, we’re not scrambling,” Stark said.

How to protect your car from hail

While staying inside is usually enough to keep you safe during a hail storm, your car could be at risk.

“If you’re on the road when hail starts coming down, slow down and pull over safely – reduced speed can help minimize damage,” Jennifer Hawton, a spokesperson for Seattle-based insurance company PEMCO, told McClatchy in an email. “At home, parking in a garage or covered space is best.”

If you don’t have access to a garage, there are still steps you can take to protect your car.

“If that’s not an option, even covering your car with thick blankets or floor mats can help protect it from dents or broken windows,” Hawton said.

According to Stark, it’s easy to forget that hail is often accompanied by strong winds, so anything you use to protect your car should be fastened.

“Because hail is usually associated with severe weather, which usually means wind, make sure you’re strapping that down,” Stark said.

Another common mistake, according to both Hawton and Stark, is forgetting to protect your home.

“Don’t forget your home,” Hawton said. “Securing outdoor furniture and checking your roof in advance can go a long way in preventing repairs.”

Stark also recommended checking your rain gutters and securing a mat in front of any windows that might be exposed.

“For your home, anything that might be loose or exposed, you’re going to want to pull inside, strap down,” Stark said.

This story was originally published March 26, 2025 at 3:42 PM.