Climate Change Drives Larger, More Devastating Hailstorms Across Europe

Recent research by British scientists from Newcastle University, the Met Office, and the University of Bristol reveals that climate change is altering hailstorm patterns across Europe. While the overall frequency of hailstorms is expected to decrease due to hail forming higher in the atmosphere and weakened storm organization, the hailstones that do fall are projected to be larger and more destructive, particularly in southern Europe and the Mediterranean. This shift is attributed to the emergence of tropical-type thunderstorms in warming conditions, which produce very large hailstones capable of surviving the fall to the ground. These findings indicate that future hailstorms, although less frequent, may cause more severe damage to properties, infrastructure, and crops. Authorities and society need to prepare for these intensified hail events, especially given their potential for unprecedented impacts. Notably, the risk remains lower for northern Europe and the British Isles, with the most significant changes anticipated in southern regions.