FLT CREW OF A319 ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURB AND HAIL WHILE ATTEMPTING TO OVERFLY LINE OF TSTMS NEAR FST AT FL370. ACFT DAMAGED BY HAIL AND LIGHTNING STRIKE.

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ABOUT 200 NM W OF FST (FT STOCKTON; TX) WE WERE CONTACTED BY DISPATCH AND INFORMED OF A NARROW LINE OF TSTMS OVER FST SEVERAL HUNDRED MI LONG EXTENDING TO THE N AND S. ACCORDING TO THE CAPT (WHO SPOKE TO DISPATCH); THE LINE HAD SOME BREAKS IN IT AROUND FST AND WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO CROSS IT THERE. WE ASKED ATC WHAT OTHER ACFT WERE DOING AND WERE TOLD THAT PEOPLE WERE XING THE LINE IN THE GENERAL AREA THAT WE WERE HEADED WITH LITTLE DIFFICULTY. TO BETTER SEE THE WX WE ASKED FOR WRONG WAY FL390 AND WERE DENIED DUE TO OPPOSITE TFC CONFLICTS. THE TOPS WERE SOMEWHAT OBSCURED BY OTHER CLOUDS; BUT WE FELT AS THOUGH WE COULD TOP THEM SEEING AS HOW THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION FL390 TFC WAS DOING IT APPARENTLY WITHOUT TROUBLE. THE CAPT INSTRUCTED THE CABIN CREW TO CLEAN UP AND GET SEATED. A SHORT TIME LATER HE CONFIRMED THEY WERE SEATED AS WELL AS THE PAX. THE CAPT MADE AT LEAST 2 PA'S TO THE PAX TO INFORM THEM OF THE POSSIBILITY OF TURB AHEAD AND TO KEEP THEM INFORMED OF OUR PROGRESS. WHEN WE GOT CLOSER TO THE WX IT WAS LOOKING LESS LIKELY THAT WE WOULD STAY ABOVE IT IN VMC. WE ASKED AGAIN FOR FL390 AND; ONCE AGAIN; WERE DENIED. WE NAVED TOWARDS THE BEST PLACE TO CROSS THE LINE AND SLOWED THE ACFT TO 0.76 MACH. WE ALSO TURNED ON THE ENG ANTI-ICE BEFORE WE ENTERED THE WX. WHEN WE ENTERED IMC CONDITIONS WE INITIALLY EXPERIENCED ONLY MODERATE TURB AND RAIN. THE CONDITIONS THEN DEGRADED TO SEVERE TURB WITH HAIL. AIRSPD FLUCTUATED +/-20-30 KTS AND ALT VARIED +300 TO -700 FT. THE ACFT OVERSPED FOR A SHORT TIME. WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME WE EXITED THE WX. WE LOST THE WX RADAR WHILE IN THE WX. ONCE CLR WE NOTICED UNUSUAL WIND NOISE AND SUSPECTED DAMAGE TO THE NOSE CONE. THE CAPT CONTACTED DISPATCH AND MAINT CTL TO APPRISE THEM OF THE SIT. AFTER CHKING ALL SYS ON THE ACFT IT WAS DECIDED THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO IAH. I CONCURRED. THE CAPT CHKED WITH THE CABIN CREW AND WE WERE TOLD THAT EVERYONE IN THE BACK WAS OKAY. WE CONTINUED TO IAH AT A SLOWER THAN NORMAL AIRSPD AS A PRECAUTION AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE POSTFLT INSPECTION REVEALED A SEVERELY DAMAGED NOSE CONE. NO OTHER DAMAGE WAS APPARENT. HOWEVER; THE NEXT DAY MAINT PERSONNEL DISCOVERED THAT THE PLANE HAD BEEN STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. AS PF; I HAD SOME TREPIDATION AS TO THE DECISION TO CROSS THE LINE IN THE AREA WE DID. I AGREED ONLY AFTER CONSIDERING THE INPUT FROM DISPATCH; ATC AND THE CAPT'S EXPERIENCE. I WISH NOW THAT I WOULD HAVE DISAGREED MORE STRONGLY WITH ALL THE DATA AND TRUSTED MYSELF. IT IS APPARENT THAT EVERYONE SEES WX DIFFERENTLY. IN THE FUTURE; I WILL BE MORE WILLING TO RETURN TO THE DEP CITY OR DIVERT RATHER THAN GIVE IN TO POOR ADVICE AND JUDGEMENT TO MEET A SCHEDULE.