From mid-May to late June, the Icechip Storm Chasers traversed the Rockies and Central Plains, employing armored vehicles to withstand falling ice. They utilized drones, balloons, and mobile Doppler radars to study storm behavior, particularly hail formation. One group focused on placing radars to intercept storms, while others released balloons and gathered data on hail size and speed.
Researchers tracked the lifecycle of hailstones using devices called Heilsondos, which monitored conditions in convection thunderstorms where hail typically forms at altitudes of 20,000 to 50,000 feet. Victor Gensini, a meteorology professor, noted that tracking hail’s trajectory could enhance understanding of storm dynamics, crucial for predicting hail formation.
Storm modeling indicates that although the overall chance of hail may decrease, the frequency of larger hailstones could rise due to stronger updrafts. This creates conditions for larger hail to develop before falling. Researchers collected over 10,000 hailstones for analysis to validate model predictions.
Previous data showed an increase in reported large hail sizes, but it’s unclear whether this is due to increased observation or atmospheric changes. These new measurements aim to improve forecasting accuracy and reduce economic losses, especially in farming areas affected by hail damage.
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