Weekend Hail Storms Damage Area Crops

WINTERS (CBS13) - The deep rumbles of thunder rocked the valley sky this weekend while hail beat up some crops in Winters.

"It shook in my house; I mean, the windows were literally rattling," farmer Paul Underhill said.

The storm spooked Underhill, but it was the hail that shredded his crops.

"This branch is broken off, this branch is broken off," Underhill said looking at his crops.

Hail stones snapped the young plants with ease, and others took hail hits that could kill them later.

"If it stays wet and warm like this those wounds are access for diseases, for fungus to get in there," the farmer said.

It wasn't just tomato plants that took a pounding.

"All of our spinach, salad greens, radishes," Underhill said.

So far, he says at least $30,000 worth of crops was damaged by the storms.

Hail is a notorious crop killer in this country, causing at least $1 billion in damage each year. It's something Underhill has learned in his time in these fields.

"Part of farming is getting used to losing stuff to the weather," he said.

Underhill says he is wary about the week to come as another storm is brewing with plans to head this way.