John, you've gotta move closer to work.

Hmm. I've ridden home in hard rain and wind (with falling trees, branches, and downed power lines) but not hail. With downed trees, etc. cars can't go because the streets are blocked. Those are the times when being on a bike is a lifesaver.

I guess doing what you did was the best thing. Just remember where you can find shelter for the times it hails or the storm gets really bad.
Do the Gwinnett buses run near your commute route? The buses have bike racks.

When bad weather threatens I check Intellicast's radar before leaving work. To see the local view click on "Metro View".

I checked it last night and thought sure I was going to get soaked on the way home. Dark clouds everywhere. I got lucky. It started raining about 10 minutes after I got home.

Stay safe out there in the hinterlands.