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Nature and Ecosystems Under Threat: Deteriorating Conditions Worldwide

Scientists embark on a six-week expedition through the Great Plains, relentlessly pursuing hailstorms.

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Scientists Set Out for Half a Month Across the Great Plains in Pursuit of Hailstorms
Scientists Set Out for Half a Month Across the Great Plains in Pursuit of Hailstorms

Nature and Ecosystems Under Threat: Deteriorating Conditions Worldwide

Rolling Through the Storm

Let's dive right into the heart of a Texas hailstorm - wind howling against the car windows, tires splashing through puddles formed by the relentless downpour. The vehicle, steered by meteorology researcher Matthew Kumjian, speeds towards a horizon-wide funnel cloud, several miles away. Theсно metallic pings echo on the roof as hailstones pelt down, and it's a frantic race against time.

"Size of those rocks?" inquired Kelly Lombardo, a fellow researcher and meteorology professor, from the passenger seat.

Kumjian, unfazed, replied, "Probably no bigger than a nickel or dime, but they're moving at 50 mph."

Lombardo and Kumjian are part of a team of around 60 researchers, embarking on an unprecedented mission, christened ICECHIP (In-situ Collaborative Experiment for the Collection of Hail in the Plains), to study hail storms across the Great Plains. With Associated Press journalists accompanying them, their adventure includes venturing into the eye of the storms in fortified vehicles.

The ultimate objective? Gathering valuable data to boost hail forecasts, offering crucial insights into the behavior of hailstorms and protecting people and property in their path.

"We're struggling to predict hail size," admitted Victor Gensini, one of the project leaders and a meteorology professor from Northern Illinois University. "All scientific experiments start with data gathering, and without that data, we don't know what we're missing. And that's what this project is all about."

A Dance with Nature

The afternoon finds Lombardo and Kumjian, a Penn State University professor duo and husband-wife team, grappling with rapid weather shifts while collecting data. Camera flashes capture their journey as they traverse hail-pounded roads, decked out in specially-equipped vehicles.

  • A storm-weathered team measures a hailstone resembling a rose between the front seats of Northern Illinois University's Husky Hail Hunter vehicle[6].
  • The team huddles in the same vehicle, craning their necks to watch a storm Brewing in the distance.
  • Meteorological instruments dot the vehicle's exterior, recording vital information to aid future forecasting.

The teams go to great lengths to stay coordinated and safe, with briefings to review forecasts and understand the best routes to reach stormy areas. Special metal mesh shields the windshields of their vehicles, but there's no guarantee of full protection - hailstones can fly under the mesh, leaving vehicles battered and bruised[7].

Natural Beauty and the Beast

The storm-chasing teams aren't just after data. They also revel in the awe-inspiring scenic beauty hailstorms offer. Illenden's team, for example, collected a three-inch hailstone that mirrored a rose, followed by a double rainbow at nightfall[6].

After the storm subsides, teams flock to parking lots to analyze hail using special machines, meticulously measuring the force it takes to shatter these icy projectiles.

John Allen, a Central Michigan University scientist, marveled at the hailstones, "In hailstones we have layers. So we start off with an embryo, and then you've got different growth layers."

The findings from Project ICECHIP are expected to revolutionize hail forecasting and develop more durable roofing materials, mitigating the impacts of hail on infrastructure and the economy[1]. Despite federal cuts to science[1], this study is a rare opportunity to advance our understanding of hailstorms and their effects, and it may be the first and last major hail project for several years[1].

  1. As part of the ICECHIP project, researcher Matthew Kumjian and meteorology professor Kelly Lombardo, armed with meteorological instruments, aim to boost hail forecasts by gathering data in the heart of storms, thereby protecting communities and businesses from property damage.
  2. In the face of unpredictable weather conditions, the environmental-science community, led by project leader Victor Gensini, emphasizes the importance of data collection for improving hailstorm predictions and mitigating climate-change impacts on the environment.
  3. Amidst the chaos of hailstorms, scientists like John Allen revel in the natural beauty of hailstones, seeing them as a unique subject for studying different growth layers and developing more durable roofing materials for the future.
  4. Impacted by federal budget cuts to science, the ICECHIP project, which includes teams from institutions like Northern Illinois University and Penn State University, represents a vital opportunity to advance our understanding of hailstorms and their environmental consequences, potentially shaping the course of hail research for the foreseeable future.
  5. While insurance companies may benefit from improved hail forecasts to minimize losses, the wider community, including students studying environmental and meteorological science, will appreciate the breakthroughs in understanding these weather events and the potential effects on the environment and climate change.

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