Narrative:

Flight encountered moderate to severe turbulence on climb out of mei. Postflt inspection found some precipitation damage on left inboard wing. Events were as follows: I called the dispatcher on the ground in ZZZ. I was informed of a route change due to WX. My new route was: ZZZ-ZZZ1-ZZZ2-ZZZ3-ZZZ4. I asked her if we should delay boarding and wait for WX to pass. She said 'no' and that an east to southeast heading should be fine out of ZZZ. At no time was I advised of the significant WX east of ZZZ and along our filed route. Tower reported lightning northwest of ZZZ airport. I saw no problem with continuing to ZZZ4. Once airborne, the suggested heading from dispatcher was not good. Icing and turbulence was encountered and crew did our best to quickly and safely come out of it. Nobody onboard was physically hurt. I called dispatcher at FL190 and gave her a PIREP. The remaining of the flight was uneventful. I feel I made the correct decisions with the information provided to me before this flight. The onboard radar was working properly, but it was difficult to avoid the WX since it was encountered immediately after takeoff, and it was also changing rapidly.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMBRAER 120 IN CLB BTWN 2500 FT AND FL180 ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TO SEVERE TURB WITH HAIL INCURRING L INBOARD WING DAMAGE.

Narrative: FLT ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TO SEVERE TURB ON CLBOUT OF MEI. POSTFLT INSPECTION FOUND SOME PRECIPITATION DAMAGE ON L INBOARD WING. EVENTS WERE AS FOLLOWS: I CALLED THE DISPATCHER ON THE GND IN ZZZ. I WAS INFORMED OF A RTE CHANGE DUE TO WX. MY NEW RTE WAS: ZZZ-ZZZ1-ZZZ2-ZZZ3-ZZZ4. I ASKED HER IF WE SHOULD DELAY BOARDING AND WAIT FOR WX TO PASS. SHE SAID 'NO' AND THAT AN E TO SE HEADING SHOULD BE FINE OUT OF ZZZ. AT NO TIME WAS I ADVISED OF THE SIGNIFICANT WX E OF ZZZ AND ALONG OUR FILED RTE. TWR RPTED LIGHTNING NW OF ZZZ ARPT. I SAW NO PROB WITH CONTINUING TO ZZZ4. ONCE AIRBORNE, THE SUGGESTED HEADING FROM DISPATCHER WAS NOT GOOD. ICING AND TURB WAS ENCOUNTERED AND CREW DID OUR BEST TO QUICKLY AND SAFELY COME OUT OF IT. NOBODY ONBOARD WAS PHYSICALLY HURT. I CALLED DISPATCHER AT FL190 AND GAVE HER A PIREP. THE REMAINING OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. I FEEL I MADE THE CORRECT DECISIONS WITH THE INFO PROVIDED TO ME BEFORE THIS FLT. THE ONBOARD RADAR WAS WORKING PROPERLY, BUT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO AVOID THE WX SINCE IT WAS ENCOUNTERED IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF, AND IT WAS ALSO CHANGING RAPIDLY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.