CARJ IS DAMAGED DURING ENCOUNTER WITH CONVECTIVE WX; HAIL AND ASSOCIATED TURB ABOVE FL290 NEAR CHE VOR.

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WE WERE AT CRUISE AT FL290; CLOSE TO THE CHE VOR AND FLEW INTO A STRATUS LAYER WITH LIGHT CHOP. RADAR WAS ON; AND WAS SCANNED UP AND DOWN AND AT VARIOUS DISTANCES AND SHOWED NOTHING. ALTHOUGH THE CHOP WAS NOT BAD; THE DECISION WAS MADE TO SEEK A HIGHER ALT. CLRNC WAS RECEIVED TO FL310. AS WE STARTED UP; WE HIT SEVERE TURB. I (CAPT; PF) HIT THE CEILING IN SPITE OF SEATBELT BEING VERY TIGHT; AND MY HEADSET WAS KNOCKED ASKEW. WITHIN THE TIME FRAME OF A FEW SECONDS; THE HIGH SPD CLACKER SOUNDED; THE FO PULLED THE PWR BACK (WHILE I PUT MY HEADSET BACK ON). I PUT IN A SNAPPY RATE OF CLB (IN ORDER TO GET OUT OF WHAT I THEN THOUGHT WAS FREEZING PRECIP) AND PUT THE PWR BACK UP TO CLB PWR. THE ACFT HEAVED AND BUCKED VIOLENTLY; BUT CLBED -- AMAZINGLY WITH THE AUTOPLT STILL ENGAGED. WITHIN 20-30 SECONDS AND ABOUT 800-1000 FT; WE WERE OUT OF THE LOUD POUNDING NOISE; RAPIDLY. WE ASKED FOR LOWER AND WERE GIVEN CLRNC BACK DOWN TO FL290. WE STARTED BACK DOWN IMMEDIATELY AND SLOWLY REGAINED OUR AIRSPD. WITHIN 20 MI; WE WERE IN BLUE SKIES. WE CHKED ALL INSTS; WHICH SHOWED NORMAL OPS. WE TALKED TO THE FLT ATTENDANT TO MAKE SURE SHE WAS OK. SHE HAD HIT THE CEILING WITH THE CART. SHE WAS FINE (WHAT A TROOPER!) BUT THE CART WAS DAMAGED. AS THE FO AND I DISCUSSED WHAT HAD HAPPENED; WE LOOKED OUT OUR RESPECTIVE WINDOWS. I NOTICED 2 SMALL DARK SPOTS ON THE WING; BUT COULD NOT TELL IF THEY WERE DINGS; OR SOME OTHER OPTICAL ILLUSION. WE DECIDED TO CONTINUE ON TO TULSA AND CALLED MAINT TO ASK FOR A MAINT CREW TO MEET US IN TULSA. THE PAX SEEMED NONPLUSSED UPON DEPLANING IN TULSA. THE SEATBELT SIGN HAD BEEN ON DURING THE ENTIRE EVENT. UPON ARR IN TULSA; THE FACT THAT WE HAD FLOWN THROUGH HAIL BECAME EASILY APPARENT. THE LEADING EDGES OF THE WINGS WERE DINGED AND THE RADOME HAD LARGE PIECES OF PAINT MISSING. I TALKED TO MAINT; AND THEY ASKED ME TO TALK TO THE CHIEF PLT TO POSITIVELY VERIFY WHETHER WE HAD IN FACT GONE THROUGH SEVERE TURB. I GLADLY TALKED TO THE CHIEF PLT AND UPON CONFERRING ON THE OFFICIAL DEFINITIONS; HAD TO HONESTLY SAY THAT WE HAD INDEED FLOWN THROUGH SEVERE TURB. NOT TO MENTION HAIL.