Hail, heat, and the occasional ice week: the storm file

The corridor's weather risks in one honest page — what hail season actually does, what it costs, and the preparedness list that pays for itself.

The risk profile, without drama

Three seasons matter. Hail season (roughly March–June): the reason Texas home insurance runs top-five nationally and the corridor's defining property risk — supercell hail is a when-not-if over a roof's lifetime, which is why impact-resistant (Class 4) shingles earn real premium discounts and why the roofer-hiring filter exists. Renters aren't exempt: vehicles are the renter's hail exposure, and the renter's hail guide covers the comprehensive-coverage math. Summer (June–September): a grid-and-wallet event more than a safety one — 100°F stretches drive the electricity bills detailed in the utility guide; the fixes are boring and effective (attic insulation, radiant barriers, smart thermostats, and shopping the deregulated market annually). The ice week (most winters, briefly): the corridor gets a few genuinely iced days most years — the preparation is a full pantry, faucet-drip discipline, and accepting that the region correctly stays home.

The preparedness list that pays for itself

Before hail season: photograph the roof and every elevation (your future claim's before pictures), confirm your policy's roof schedule (replacement-cost vs. the depreciation schedules insurers have been shifting to — this single clause changes a claim by five figures), and know your wind/hail deductible, which is usually a percentage of dwelling value, not a flat number. Tornado literacy: the county sits in the season's geography; the plan is a ground-floor interior room, a weather radio or reliable alerts, and knowing that watches mean pay-attention while warnings mean act. New-construction buyers: ask the builder for the shingle class and window ratings in writing — the new-vs-resale guide covers why current-code storm details are a quiet argument for new.

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This page as a fill-in worksheet, plus the monthly corridor report.