hailstorms

Hailstorms are causing billions of dollars in damage across the United States, and reporting suggests the problem is likely to intensify as climate conditions shift. Hail already ranks among the costlier severe weather threats, damaging roofs, crops and vehicles, and insurers are increasingly exposed as storms grow more severe and hit growing populated areas harder.

Scientists at a Colorado cold laboratory are working to better understand hail as the damage it causes continues to grow. Hail already causes billions of dollars in losses each year in the United States, and researchers warn that a warming climate could make severe hailstorms more frequent or more destructive. The reporting by Hannah Covington in High Country News highlights how little is still known about how hailstones form and grow inside storms, and why improved forecasting matters for insurers, farmers and homeowners across hail-prone regions.