New study suggests climate change will make hail bigger and more costly

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🗞️ Driving the news: A new study published in Nature Climate and Atmospheric Science suggests that climate change will lead to larger and more damaging hail, even though hailstorms will become less frequent
Increased greenhouse gas emissions are expected to produce stronger thunderstorm updrafts, enabling hailstones to grow bigger
These larger hailstones will result in more costly damages, especially to vehicles and property

🔭 The context: Hailstorms already cause more financial damage than tornadoes and straight-line winds combined, with recent severe storms in the United States alone accounting for over $100 billion in losses
Researchers used climate models to simulate future hailstorms, finding that smaller hailstones are more likely to melt due to warming, while those over four centimeters in diameter will grow larger
The potential increase in hail size poses a significant threat to infrastructure and insurance costs

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: As climate change intensifies, the frequency and severity of extreme weather events are likely to increase, leading to greater economic and environmental impacts
Understanding hail dynamics and improving forecasting techniques are crucial for minimizing damage
This research highlights the urgent need for adaptation measures to protect communities from the growing risks posed by larger hail

⏭️ What's next: Researchers plan to continue studying hail through initiatives like the proposed ICECHIP field campaign, which will deploy mobile radars and weather stations to collect data on hailstorms starting in 2025
Better forecasting and the development of hail-resistant materials could help mitigate the damage caused by increasingly large hailstones

💬 One quote: “Hail does way more damage every year than tornadoes do. And you’re seeing it in your premiums. You’re seeing it in your policies,” said Victor Gensini, the study’s lead author

📈 One stat: Over the last 18 months, severe storms, primarily involving hail, have caused more than $100 billion in losses in the United States

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