Researchers launch multi-million dollar study to unlock secrets of destructive hail
Understanding the science behind hail
Statistics from two national insurance companies show hail has produced more than ten billion dollars in property losses every year in the U.S. since 2008.
While wind and lightning grab much of the attention during thunderstorms, hail causes the most damage, racking up over $10 billion in annual property losses across the U.S. since 2008, according to national insurance statistics.
But despite the financial toll, predicting hailstorms and their severity remains a challenge for meteorologists. That’s why a groundbreaking multi-million-dollar research project, named the IceChip research project, is underway, aiming to unravel the complexities of hail formation and improve forecasting.
What we know:
This spring, a team led by Northern Illinois University meteorology professor Victor Gensini brought together roughly 100 students and researchers from 13 universities across the Great Plains to chase hailstorms — not tornadoes. Over 42 days and 11 states, the team intercepted 24 storms and collected more than 10,000 hailstones, the first large-scale study of its kind in over four decades.
"We don’t really know how hail forms," said Gensini. "We'll be looking at the pathway – the trajectory – that a hailstone takes as it moves through a thunderstorm."
Gensini coordinated the effort like an "air traffic control quarterback," directing teams to position radar equipment, weather balloons, and instrument pods along storm paths. Thirty vehicles, each staffed by two to three researchers, tracked storms to capture data safely.
Northern Illinois University students Caitlin Roufa and Landon Moeller were part of the mobile Mesonet team that deployed sensors ahead of hail to collect samples ranging from small pellets to rare large specimens. Moeller described the experience as intense, with hail ranging from quarter-sized to apple-sized stones pounding their vehicle.
The collected hail was shipped to the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado for detailed study. "So these hailstones that we found on the campaign that were larger than four inches in diameter, we're gonna be really interested in those," Gensini said. "They obviously have the propensity to impact people and property."
Damage caused by hail accounts for 60 to 80% of losses from severe thunderstorms annually. Last year alone, hail damage in the U.S. topped $50 billion, said Dr. Ian Giammanco, lead research meteorologist at the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, which tests building materials for storm resilience and also participated in the study.
"Our instruments are really there to measure how much energy each hailstone has when it hits it," Giammanco explained, noting the variety in hailstone size, shape, and texture — from soft, snow cone-like pellets to dense stones exerting 4,000 pounds per square inch of pressure.
The data collected will help design more durable roofing materials able to withstand softball-sized hail and enhance forecasting models by incorporating real-time weather balloon data.
However, Gensini warned that weather balloon launches are declining nationwide due to staffing shortages at the National Weather Service, a setback for hail research.
What's next:
Funded by the National Science Foundation, the IceChip research project’s data will take months to analyze but promises to mark a significant leap forward in understanding hail formation and improving storm prediction.
Tinley Park native and Central Michigan University student Dominic Cannonito participated in the project, driving nearly 8,000 miles and logging countless overnight hours to support the research.
"And my favorite moment, probably throughout the whole campaign, I can't say it was the tornado that I first saw. However, it was definitely the adversity we overcame as a team," Cannonito said.
The team collectively covered about 15,000 miles — equivalent to six and a half trips from Chicago to San Francisco — demonstrating the dedication required for this ambitious study.
As Cannonito’s internship concludes, he has continued his meteorology work at Fox 32 Chicago, embracing the full circle from storm chasing to broadcast meteorology.