Environment
Europe increasingly vulnerable to hailstones the size of golfballs
Very large hail – hailstones more than 5 centimetres in diameter – poses a growing threat to Europe as the climate warms, with increasing risk of expensive damage to cars and property
By Madeleine Cuff
9 May 2025
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Large hailstones can be very damagingimageBROKER.com/Alamy
Hailstones the size of golfballs are increasingly raining down on Europe as the climate warms, causing expensive damage to cars and buildings.
Very large hail, classified as hailstones that measure 5 centimetres or more in diameter, is one of the most costly forms of extreme weather, capable of smashing windows, denting cars and blowing holes through the roof of a building. “Some of the largest loss events, in excess of $1 billion, have been associated with hailstorms that have this type of very large hail,” says Brian Tang at the University of…
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