Hail is precipitation in the form of irregular shapes of ice. Hail can shred leaves off corn plants, bruise stalks, and turn a beautiful field of corn into bare stalks with a few ragged leaves. The initial sight of hail damage is sickening to any farmer. Small corn, with the growing point below the soil surface (see corn staging below) is highly tolerant to hail damage. As the growing point moves above the soil surface and the corn plant gets closer to tasseling, corn becomes more susceptible to hail damage. Corn is most susceptible to hail damage from the period just prior to tasseling
through early milk. Once corn passes the early milk stage, it becomes more
tolerant to hail damage.