As we drove to dinner at 7PM, the temperature dropped 15 degrees. Sprinkles of water turned into the biggest and hardest rain I have ever seen. Then the ice-cube sized hail set in, accompanied by intense lightning and booming thunder. The freeway we were on was impossible to see, and as we approached an overpass we noticed that the whole think was clogged with cars hiding out underneath. Some on the grass, the shoulder, the road, everywhere! I stayed there for a while and then drove on like an idiot. We finally arrived at the restaurant, and I tried to find a tree to park under, but anything even remotely hanging over any road was already taken with cars. Gas stations, drive-thru windows, large oak trees, drive-thru ATM machines. No place to park. I sat there for 20 minutes waiting for it to let up, knowing my car was being dented by massive hail. Finally, it stopped hailing - just pouring- and I ran into the restaurant just in time for the power to go out! It came back on shortly, and then we ate while watching the parking lot flood and patrons having to leave to get their cars out of 2-3 foot water. Good times. Later I inspected my car... Jeeps rule. No dents.
These pics are (1) Waiting under the only wimpy tree I could find, watching the hail pile up. (2) Waiting under the overpass. It doesn't seem that bad here because I am underneath it.
