What the hail??

This morning as I was getting ready for work, as I do every morning, I logged onto the internet to check the weather forecast so I'd know what to wear. I read "chance of early morning thunderstorm" and a forecast of 70-some degrees. Soon after I heard an unfamiliar loud roaring. I looked outside to find balls of ice dropping from the sky. I've seen hail storms before many times, but never watched one quite like this. It was LOUD pounding on the roof and decks. I looked for the cat to let him in and he was nowhere to be found. The dog who was in, wanted to be OUT. She did not like the loud noise coming from overhead! I wasn't about to head to work till there was no more ice to dodge so I just watched it while I waited. I don't know how much time lapsed but I was surprised how long the ice stayed on the ground and deck. Usually it melts very quickly and I thought it would today too since it has been so warm outside lately. The cover on the pool looked like a trampoline with all the ice bouncing off it as it came down. The porches, even the covered back porch, were covered in ice pellets. I saw one piece on the back deck that was large, but not as large as a golf ball. I guess today's storm is the result of the clashing of crazy weather we've had lately.

I don't know if this gives you an idea of the size or not, but the board these are on is the top step which is a 2x12.