Europe experienced record number of hailstorms in 2022 for the second year in row
Image credit: ESSL
2022 saw a record-breaking number of hailstorms in Europe with 8 224 large hail reports. That is 2 791 large hail reports more than in 2021, which was already a record-breaking year. France had the most reports with 2 461 and was also the country with the largest economic impact of 4.8 billion €.
The three days with the most hail reports were June 4 with 411 reports, June 20 with 385 reports, and May 25 with 334 reports.
The two most societally impactful events were the Casamassima, Italy hailstorm on August 19 with 100 injuries and the La Bisbal d’Empordà, Catalonia hailstorm on August 30 with 67 injuries and one fatality.
By far the largest number of hailstorm reports was submitted for France — 2 461, followed by Italy with 993 and Germany with 583.
Hailstorms had a very large economic impact, especially in France, where the insured losses reached 4.8 billion € according to Swiss-Re.
While some of the hailstorms produced large hail only for 15 minutes, some lasted for more than 3 hours. The longest-lasting hailstorm occurred on May 22 in France, producing large hail for 5 hours in a hail swath over 300 km (186 miles) long.
References:
1 Major hailstorms of 2022 – European Severe Storms Laboratory – January 2023
The Watchers team and our contributors bring the latest on extreme weather, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, space weather, and all things science. We're all about making sense of the natural world and keeping you informed on what’s happening. Got a tip or a question? Hit us up using the form at newstips!
Published in the last 24 hours
- In January 2000, chunks of ice weighing up to 6 pounds fell out of clear blue skies over Spain for 10 days. One smashed through a car windshield, and scientists still can’t fully explain where they came from Epicenter
- El Niño reaches 2.0°C on NOAA’s index, a tenth of a degree behind 1997–98 at the same point, as forecasters expect it to challenge the all-time record this winter
- The fastest wind gust ever measured on Earth, 253 mph, hit an oil island off Australia during Cyclone Olivia in 1996, and nobody noticed for more than a decade, until experts reading old data quietly took the record from New Hampshire's Mount Washington Epicenter
- In 1954, a grapefruit-sized meteorite crashed through a roof in Sylacauga, Alabama, and struck Ann Hodges as she napped on her couch Epicenter
