If severe weather events are as persistent through the summer as they were the first few months of the year, the 2024 U.S. hail season may be well on its way to breaking records — not to mention windshields and windows.
Hailstorm activity increased nearly 74% year over year in the first two months of 2024, according to the latest data available from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). In January and February, Texas saw hailstorms increase by 720% compared to the same period in 2023. South Carolina recorded a single hailstorm in the first two months of last year. During the same time frame this year, the state saw 28 hailstorms — a year-over-year-increase of 2,700%.
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQmz66A :? >:?5 E92E E96 }~pp’D >@DE C646?E 52E2 5@6D?’E E2<6 :?E@ 244@F?E E96 DE@C>D E92E AF>>6=65 %6I2D H:E9 E@CC6?E:2= C2:?[ 9:89 H:?5D[ 2?5 s's\D:K65 92:=DE@?6D :? |2J] p?5 :E @>:ED E96 pAC:= DE@C>D E92E 86?6C2E65 D@7E32==\D:K65 92:= :? $@FE9 r2C@=:?2 2?5 AC@>AE65 E96 DE2E6’D 8@G6C?@C E@ 2D< 7@C 2DD:DE2?46 7C@> E96 u656C2= t>6C86?4J |2?286>6?E p86?4J]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQm“xE 92D ?@E 366? 2 BF:6E 92:= J62C[” p?5C6H w6J>D7:6=5[ 2 D6?:@C D4:6?E:DE 2E E96 }2E:@?2= r6?E6C 7@C pE>@DA96C:4 #6D62C49[ C646?E=J E@=5 E96 (2D9:?8E@? !@DE]k^DA2?mk^Am
k9amkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQm$E2E6D 9:E 92C5 3J 62C=J 92:=DE@C>Dk^DA2?mk^9am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQmr@>A2C:?8 92:=DE@C> 24E:G:EJ :? E96 7:CDE EH@ >@?E9D @7 a_ab E@ E96 7:CDE EH@ >@?E9D @7 E9:D J62C D9@HD 2 >2C<65 :?4C62D6 :? 92:=DE@C>D — 2?5 52>286D]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQmx? y2?F2CJ 2?5 u63CF2CJ @7 a_ab[ abc 92:= 6G6?ED 27764E65 `h DE2E6D 2?5 42FD65 23@FE Sfah[___ :? AC@A6CEJ 52>286[ }~pp 52E2 D9@HD] sFC:?8 E96 D2>6 >@?E9D :? a_ac[ }~pp C64@C565 c_f 6G6?ED — 2 fb]hbT :?4C62D6 — 24C@DD a_ DE2E6D] }~pp 6DE:>2E6D Sb]``e >:==:@? :? AC@A6CEJ 52>286 7C@> E9@D6 DE@C>D]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQmx? 2==[ `d DE2E6D 6IA6C:6?465 >@C6 92:= :? E96 368:??:?8 @7 a_ac E92? E96 J62C 367@C6] %6I2D 2?5 x==:?@:D E:65 7@C E96 >@DE DE@C>D :? E96 EH@\>@?E9 A6C:@5[ H:E9 ga 6249] u@C E96 D2>6 >@?E9D :? a_ab[ ~<=29@>2 H2D E96 =6256C[ H:E9 cc 92:=DE@C>D C6A@CE65]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQm}2E:@?2==J[ a_ac :D D92A:?8 FA E@ C2?< 2>@?8 E96 E@A\7:G6 4@DE=:6DE J62CD 7@C DE@C> 52>286[ 32D65 @? x?DFC:7J’D 2?2=JD:D @7 }~pp 52E2] s2E2 7@C %6I2D :?5:42E6D E96 DE2E6 H:== =:<6=J D66 DE@C> 52>286D E92E H:== 6BF2= @C 6I4665 a_ab’D 4@DED]k^DA2?mk^Am
k9amkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQmw2:=\AC@5F4:?8 DE@C>D 2C6 962E:?8 FAk^DA2?mk^9am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQm}~pp 52E2 2?5 ?F>6C@FD ?6HD 244@F?ED :?5:42E6 E92E 92:=DE@C>D 2C6?’E ;FDE 364@>:?8 >@C6 7C6BF6?E — E96J’C6 364@>:?8 >@C6 52>28:?8[ H:E9 :?4C62D:?8=J =2C86C 92:=DE@?6D]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQmw2:= 7@C>D H96? DEC@?8 FA5C27ED :? 2 E9F?56CDE@C> <66A :46 4CJDE2=D 2=@7E[ 2==@H:?8 E96> E@ 8C@H =2C86C 367@C6 72==:?8 E@ E96 8C@F?5] (2C>6C E6>A6C2EFC6D 4C62E6 DEC@?86C FA5C27ED E92E 42? <66A =2C86C 4CJDE2=D 2:C3@C?6 — 2?5 8C@H:?8 — 7@C =@?86C] pD 8=@32= H2C>:?8 4@?E:?F6D[ 92:=DE@?6D H:== =:<6=J 86E =2C86C[ H62E96C 6IA6CED AC65:4E]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmk:>8 :5lQ`eb`f__dQ 2=ElQQ DC4lQ9EEADi^^2]DE@CJ3=@<]4@>^7^`eaafb^`e__I`e__^6gchg_36f5^92:=\D:K6]A?8Q E:E=6lQQ ^mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQm%96 =2C86DE 92:= C64@C565 :? E96 62C=J A2CE @7 a_ab H2D E9C66 2?5 2 92=7 :?496D] x? y2?F2CJ 2?5 u63CF2CJ @7 E9:D J62C[ E96 =2C86DE 92:= H2D 7@FC :?496D]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQmp?5 ?F>6C@FD ?6HD 244@F?ED A@:?E E@ 92:=DE@?6D =2C86C E92? 7:G6 :?496D :? %6I2D 5FC:?8 |2J’D DE@C>D]k^DA2?mk^Am
k9amkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQmw@H 92:=DE@C>D 9:E 9@>6 :?DFC2?46k^DA2?mk^9am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQmw2:= D62D@? EJA:42==J =2DED 7C@> pAC:= E9C@F89 $6AE6>36C[ 2=E9@F89 E96 24EF2= 5FC2E:@? 42? G2CJ 32D65 @? =@42E:@? 2?5 @E96C 724E@CD]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQmtG6CJ J62C[ p>6C:42?D 7:=6 2AAC@I:>2E6=J d__[___ 4=2:>D 7@C 92:= 52>286 E@ AC@A6CEJ[ 244@C5:?8 E@ r2A6 p?2=JE:4D]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQmu@CEJ J62CD 28@[ 2??F2= :?DFC6C =@DD6D 7@C 92:= 4=2:>D 2G6C2865 ;FDE @G6C S` 3:==:@?[ E96 2?2=JE:4D 4@>A2?J D2:5] %@52J[ 2 D:?8=6 92:=DE@C> 42? 42FD6 3:==:@?D :? 52>286D @G6C >F=E:A=6 DE2E6D] $E2E6 u2C>[ E96 =2C86DE &]$] 9@>6 :?DFC6C 3J >2C<6E D92C6[ C6A@CE65 Sb]d 3:==:@? :? 92:= 4=2:> 4@DED :? a_aa[ 2 S` 3:==:@? :?4C62D6 7C@> E96 J62C 367@C6] %96 2G6C286 92:= 4=2:> :?4C62D65 3J Sa[___[ E96 :?DFC6C D2:5]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQmx?5FDECJ =@DD6D 9:E Se_ 3:==:@? :? a_ab 7C@> D6G6C6 4@?G64E:G6 DE@C>D E92E 86?6C2E65 92:=[ 962GJ C2:?[ =:89E?:?8[ 9:89 H:?5D[ 2?5 E@C?25@6D[ %96 }6H *@C< %:>6D C6A@CE65] x? a_aa[ E96 :?5FDECJ 6IA6C:6?465 Sb` 3:==:@? :? =@DD6D 7C@> 4@?G64E:G6 DE@C>D]k^DA2?mk^Am
k9amkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQm(92E’D ?6IEnk^DA2?mk^9am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQmx7 E9:D A2EE6C? @7 :?4C62D6D 4@?E:?F6D[ E96 ?2E:@? 4@F=5 D66 f[b_f E@E2= 92:=DE@C>D :? a_ac[ 2 dT :?4C62D6 @G6C a_ab[ x?DFC:7J 52E2 2?2=JDED AC@;64E] p?5 >@C6 92:=DE@C>D H:== C6DF=E :? >@C6 9@>6 :?DFC2?46 4=2:>D 7@C 92:= 52>286 — 325 ?6HD 7@C 9@>6 :?DFC6CD ;FDE DE2CE:?8 E@ C64@G6C 7C@> =2DE J62C’D DE@C> D62D@? =@DD6D]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQmw@>6@H?6CD 42? E2<6 DE6AD E@ >:?:>:K6 92:= 52>286 E@ E96:C AC@A6CE:6D[ :?4=F5:?8ik^DA2?mk^Am
kF=mk=:mkAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQmx?DA64E:?8 C@@7D E@ :56?E:7J 2?J H62< DA@ED 2?5 C6A2:C E96> 367@C6 92:= D62D@?k^DA2?mk^Amk^=:mk=:mkAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQm!2C<:?8 G69:4=6D :? 82C286D @C F?56C 42CA@CED H96? A@DD:3=6k^DA2?mk^Amk^=:mk=:mkAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQm!C@E64E 6IA@D65 G69:4=6D H:E9 2 42C 4@G6Ck^DA2?mk^Amk^=:mk=:mkAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQm!2C<:?8 G69:4=6D 2H2J 7C@> EC66D E@ C65F46 E96 C:D< @7 52>286 7C@> 2 72==6? 3C2?49k^DA2?mk^Amk^=:mk=:mkAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ4@=@CiC83W_[ _[ _XQmx?DE2==:?8 D9FEE6CD @? J@FC 9@>6 2?5 4=@D:?8 E96> 367@C6 2 DE@C> E@ AC@E64E H:?5@HD 7C@> 92:=DE@?6Dk^DA2?mk^Amk^=:mk^F=m