A team of 60 researchers is chasing hail storms in the Great Plains of the United States to collect key data and improve hail forecasts. This project, named ICECHIP, is funded by institutions such as the National Science Foundation of the United States, aiming to solve the current problem that it is difficult to predict the size and path of hail. Scientists used weather balloons, radars, drones and special sensors to go deep into the center of the storm to measure the intensity, size and formation process of hail. Project leader Victor Gensini said that these data would help meteorologists warn of hail disasters more accurately and reduce the annual loss of about 10 billion US dollars caused by hail.
Researchers drove reinforced vehicles into the core of the storm and were hit by strong winds, heavy rain and huge hailstones. One car even lost its windshield due to being hit by hail, and the driver of another car was injured in the hand by the hail. The team collected hail samples with a diameter of up to 5.5 inches and used a crusher to test their strength. Joshua Soderholm of the Australian Bureau of Meteorology launched a high-altitude balloon carrying sensors to simulate the movement of hail in a storm. Despite the risks, scientists persisted in their work, recording real-time data of the storm and discovering that Doppler radar might have underestimated the size of the largest hailstones.
In addition to improving weather forecasts, this research may also promote the development of more durable building materials. Insurance industry scientists are testing new types of roof tiles to better withstand hail damage. However, researchers are concerned that due to the federal government’s funding cuts for climate science, similar large-scale hail research projects may be difficult to carry out in the future. Nevertheless, the data collected this time will provide valuable basis for future meteorological models and disaster prevention measures, helping communities better cope with extreme weather.
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