As Australia enters the months of peak hail activity, it is crucial to recognise the increasing threat posed by hailstorms. While traditionally concentrated along the eastern seaboard during warmer months, the changing climate has led to a rise in the frequency and intensity of these destructive events, extending beyond their usual areas and seasons.
A 2021 paper by a number of leading climate scientists across the globe looked at the effects of climate change on hailstorms and concluded that Australia and Europe in particular will see more violent events more often, with large hailstones falling in increasing numbers. This is due to the growing low-level moisture and instability of the atmosphere, enabling the formation of larger hailstones. While the melting height will rise as a result of the warmer temperatures and melt a lot of smaller hail stones before they make ground contact, it will increase the average size of surviving hailstones, which also fall faster to the ground, thereby increasing the likelihood of damage.
Giant hailstones which were recorded in the Mediterranean during 2020 (Source: Severe weather Europe)
Large hail not only poses a significant threat to the safety of individuals but also has the potential to unleash chaos on businesses. A prime example of this was the devastating hailstorm that struck Newcastle in May 2023, resulting in a staggering 20,000 insurance claims and an estimated $202 million in losses. The financial toll of hail damage alone in 2020 exceeded a staggering $1.9 billion in property insurance claims along the east coast of Australia, solidifying hail damage as one of the most costly storm-related events.
For businesses located in hail-prone regions, the approaching hail season serves as a constant reminder of the importance of preparedness. Without adequate protection, a single hailstorm can leave a trail of destruction that takes months, if not years, to recover from. Understanding the true extent of the risks presented by hailstorms empowers businesses to take proactive measures, implement robust mitigation strategies, and fortify their operations against the unpredictable forces of nature.
Early Warning Network, working alongside Weatherwatch, provides Australia's most comprehensive hail solution, which helps businesses through all stages of a hail event. From initial hail forecasting and hail alerts through to post-event reporting, we enable your business to be prepared and plan for dangerous hail events while maintaining staff safety and keep your operations running.
Many businesses either don't plan for destructive hail events, or use free services such as the Bureau of Meteorology to assess weather conditions and estimate whether approaching weather will impact business operations. We pride ourselves on producing targeted, accurate data for our customers, taking away the need for estimating. Our team monitor and verify storm activity in real-time, only sending alerts to areas that will be impacted by damaging hail. This relieves alert fatigue, and takes away the need for guesswork when predicting storm conditions.
EWN's trusted technology is used by some of the largest insurers in Australia, along with businesses in the motor industry, retail and local government. If you'd like advice on how our hail services can help your business Contact us via our enquiry page - we'd love to chat.