Large Hail Kills At Least One And Injures Dozens In Spain

Comment A sudden hailstorm in Spain’s Catalonia region sent people running for cover on Tuesday, with nearly four inches of hail killing a toddler and injuring about 50 other people, Reuters reported. Softball-sized hail struck the Spanish village of La Bisbal d’Empordà. Video on social media shows hailstones landing like rockets in a backyard pool, sending large splashes into the air. Another video shows the aftermath of the hailstorm, with several car windows shattered by the falling ice. Hail began to fall as a band played a set on a canvas-covered terrace at a local hotel, wreaking havoc on the venue, musician Sicus Carbonell told Reuters. “There was chaos, with little boys and girls running around on their own, some parents were able to grab their children,” Carbonell told Reuters. “Then a hailstorm ripped through the fabric … and I told my team that we were either going to get into the restaurant or one of those tennis balls was going to land on us and we weren’t going to make it. A storm brought massive hail to La Bisbal d’Empordà, Spain on August 30, damaging cars and injuring residents. (Video: The Washington Post) Broken bones and bruises were the most common injuries caused by the sudden barrage. A 20-month-old girl was killed when one of the hailstones hit her on the head. “We had the horrible case of the little girl who was hit by a stone,” the mayor of La Bisbal d’Empordà, Carme Vall, told Spain’s national broadcaster RTVE on Wednesday morning, according to a Guardian report. “Not much could be done for her and she died today. It was a terrible accident.” Five things you need to know about hail like ‘yes — it happens in summer’ Hail rarely kills or injures people, making Tuesday’s hailstorm in Spain highly unusual. Forecasts and warning systems usually allow people to take shelter, which means most hail damage is to cars and homes — and it can be significant. The hailstorm that hit Catalonia on Tuesday was the largest recorded in Spain since at least 2002, Catalan weather service Meteocat said on Twitter. The storms that caused the hail were triggered by a cold front approaching Western Europe from the Atlantic Ocean. Hailstorms can be billion-dollar disasters, knocking off roofs and breaking glass over a wide area. In 2022, at least two hailstorms have caused more than $1 billion, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Remarkably, these hailstorms hit nearly the same area — parts of southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin — just 10 days apart. In the nation’s ‘hail’, severe storms and rapid development are on a costly collision course But dangerous hail has caused deaths and injuries in the United States in the past. In 2018, a hailstorm hit parts of Colorado, killing several animals at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and injuring at least 14 people. “One person’s watch exploded when he was hit by hail and another was hit so hard on the head that it broke his hard hat,” zoo CEO Bob Chastain said. In particular, our XOM observer in Bisbal d’Empordà (Baix Empordà) recorded a maximum stone diameter of up to 10 cm. pic.twitter.com/oCpUQlRKfL — Meteocat (@meteocat) August 30, 2022 Just three people are known to have been killed by hail in the United States, according to weather blog Category 6 reports in 2020. The deadliest hailstorm on record occurred in Uttar Pradesh, India in 1888. Hail the size of oranges fell, killing 246 people and hundreds of animals, according to a report in the journal Weather, Climate, and Society. Argentina’s 2018 hail may have broken the world record The largest hail ever recorded in the United States fell in Vivian, SD, in 2010. The hail was eight inches in diameter and weighed a record 1.9375 pounds, breaking the records set in 2003 and 1970, respectively. The hail was likely even larger when it fell, as melting and sublimation caused the stone to shrink before it could be verified by the National Weather Service. Some believe that larger hailstones have fallen on Earth, however. A hailstone that fell in Argentina may have been as large as 9.3 inches in diameter, meaning it would have broken the record if verified. The storm produced at least one giant, 7.1-inch stone, which was safely stored in a freezer for official measurements. “The hail lasted 20 minutes. It was kind of scary,” said Victoria Druetta, who grabbed the stone. “It hit and then exploded and then melted some. It was probably even bigger.” Costly hailstorms are increasing rapidly. See what the weather community is doing about it.

title: “Large Hail Kills At Least One And Injures Dozens In Spain Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-17” author: “Jerri Haviland”

Comment A sudden hailstorm in Spain’s Catalonia region sent people running for cover on Tuesday, with nearly four inches of hail killing a toddler and injuring about 50 other people, Reuters reported. Softball-sized hail struck the Spanish village of La Bisbal d’Empordà. Video on social media shows hailstones landing like rockets in a backyard pool, sending large splashes into the air. Another video shows the aftermath of the hailstorm, with several car windows shattered by the falling ice. Hail began to fall as a band played a set on a canvas-covered terrace at a local hotel, wreaking havoc on the venue, musician Sicus Carbonell told Reuters. “There was chaos, with little boys and girls running around on their own, some parents were able to grab their children,” Carbonell told Reuters. “Then a hailstorm ripped through the fabric … and I told my team that we were either going to get into the restaurant or one of those tennis balls was going to land on us and we weren’t going to make it. A storm brought massive hail to La Bisbal d’Empordà, Spain on August 30, damaging cars and injuring residents. (Video: The Washington Post) Broken bones and bruises were the most common injuries caused by the sudden barrage. A 20-month-old girl was killed when one of the hailstones hit her on the head. “We had the horrible case of the little girl who was hit by a stone,” the mayor of La Bisbal d’Empordà, Carme Vall, told Spain’s national broadcaster RTVE on Wednesday morning, according to a Guardian report. “Not much could be done for her and she died today. It was a terrible accident.” Five things you need to know about hail like ‘yes — it happens in summer’ Hail rarely kills or injures people, making Tuesday’s hailstorm in Spain highly unusual. Forecasts and warning systems usually allow people to take shelter, which means most hail damage is to cars and homes — and it can be significant. The hailstorm that hit Catalonia on Tuesday was the largest recorded in Spain since at least 2002, Catalan weather service Meteocat said on Twitter. The storms that caused the hail were triggered by a cold front approaching Western Europe from the Atlantic Ocean. Hailstorms can be billion-dollar disasters, knocking off roofs and breaking glass over a wide area. In 2022, at least two hailstorms have caused more than $1 billion, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Remarkably, these hailstorms hit nearly the same area — parts of southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin — just 10 days apart. In the nation’s ‘hail’, severe storms and rapid development are on a costly collision course But dangerous hail has caused deaths and injuries in the United States in the past. In 2018, a hailstorm hit parts of Colorado, killing several animals at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and injuring at least 14 people. “One person’s watch exploded when he was hit by hail and another was hit so hard on the head that it broke his hard hat,” zoo CEO Bob Chastain said. In particular, our XOM observer in Bisbal d’Empordà (Baix Empordà) recorded a maximum stone diameter of up to 10 cm. pic.twitter.com/oCpUQlRKfL — Meteocat (@meteocat) August 30, 2022 Just three people are known to have been killed by hail in the United States, according to weather blog Category 6 reports in 2020. The deadliest hailstorm on record occurred in Uttar Pradesh, India in 1888. Hail the size of oranges fell, killing 246 people and hundreds of animals, according to a report in the journal Weather, Climate, and Society. Argentina’s 2018 hail may have broken the world record The largest hail ever recorded in the United States fell in Vivian, SD, in 2010. The hail was eight inches in diameter and weighed a record 1.9375 pounds, breaking the records set in 2003 and 1970, respectively. The hail was likely even larger when it fell, as melting and sublimation caused the stone to shrink before it could be verified by the National Weather Service. Some believe that larger hailstones have fallen on Earth, however. A hailstone that fell in Argentina may have been as large as 9.3 inches in diameter, meaning it would have broken the record if verified. The storm produced at least one giant, 7.1-inch stone, which was safely stored in a freezer for official measurements. “The hail lasted 20 minutes. It was kind of scary,” said Victoria Druetta, who grabbed the stone. “It hit and then exploded and then melted some. It was probably even bigger.” Costly hailstorms are increasing rapidly. See what the weather community is doing about it.

title: “Large Hail Kills At Least One And Injures Dozens In Spain Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-13” author: “John Parker”

Comment A sudden hailstorm in Spain’s Catalonia region sent people running for cover on Tuesday, with nearly four inches of hail killing a toddler and injuring about 50 other people, Reuters reported. Softball-sized hail struck the Spanish village of La Bisbal d’Empordà. Video on social media shows hailstones landing like rockets in a backyard pool, sending large splashes into the air. Another video shows the aftermath of the hailstorm, with several car windows shattered by the falling ice. Hail began to fall as a band played a set on a canvas-covered terrace at a local hotel, wreaking havoc on the venue, musician Sicus Carbonell told Reuters. “There was chaos, with little boys and girls running around on their own, some parents were able to grab their children,” Carbonell told Reuters. “Then a hailstorm ripped through the fabric … and I told my team that we were either going to get into the restaurant or one of those tennis balls was going to land on us and we weren’t going to make it. A storm brought massive hail to La Bisbal d’Empordà, Spain on August 30, damaging cars and injuring residents. (Video: The Washington Post) Broken bones and bruises were the most common injuries caused by the sudden barrage. A 20-month-old girl was killed when one of the hailstones hit her on the head. “We had the horrible case of the little girl who was hit by a stone,” the mayor of La Bisbal d’Empordà, Carme Vall, told Spain’s national broadcaster RTVE on Wednesday morning, according to a Guardian report. “Not much could be done for her and she died today. It was a terrible accident.” Five things you need to know about hail like ‘yes — it happens in summer’ Hail rarely kills or injures people, making Tuesday’s hailstorm in Spain highly unusual. Forecasts and warning systems usually allow people to take shelter, which means most hail damage is to cars and homes — and it can be significant. The hailstorm that hit Catalonia on Tuesday was the largest recorded in Spain since at least 2002, Catalan weather service Meteocat said on Twitter. The storms that caused the hail were triggered by a cold front approaching Western Europe from the Atlantic Ocean. Hailstorms can be billion-dollar disasters, knocking off roofs and breaking glass over a wide area. In 2022, at least two hailstorms have caused more than $1 billion, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Remarkably, these hailstorms hit nearly the same area — parts of southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin — just 10 days apart. In the nation’s ‘hail’, severe storms and rapid development are on a costly collision course But dangerous hail has caused deaths and injuries in the United States in the past. In 2018, a hailstorm hit parts of Colorado, killing several animals at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and injuring at least 14 people. “One person’s watch exploded when he was hit by hail and another was hit so hard on the head that it broke his hard hat,” zoo CEO Bob Chastain said. In particular, our XOM observer in Bisbal d’Empordà (Baix Empordà) recorded a maximum stone diameter of up to 10 cm. pic.twitter.com/oCpUQlRKfL — Meteocat (@meteocat) August 30, 2022 Just three people are known to have been killed by hail in the United States, according to weather blog Category 6 reports in 2020. The deadliest hailstorm on record occurred in Uttar Pradesh, India in 1888. Hail the size of oranges fell, killing 246 people and hundreds of animals, according to a report in the journal Weather, Climate, and Society. Argentina’s 2018 hail may have broken the world record The largest hail ever recorded in the United States fell in Vivian, SD, in 2010. The hail was eight inches in diameter and weighed a record 1.9375 pounds, breaking the records set in 2003 and 1970, respectively. The hail was likely even larger when it fell, as melting and sublimation caused the stone to shrink before it could be verified by the National Weather Service. Some believe that larger hailstones have fallen on Earth, however. A hailstone that fell in Argentina may have been as large as 9.3 inches in diameter, meaning it would have broken the record if verified. The storm produced at least one giant, 7.1-inch stone, which was safely stored in a freezer for official measurements. “The hail lasted 20 minutes. It was kind of scary,” said Victoria Druetta, who grabbed the stone. “It hit and then exploded and then melted some. It was probably even bigger.” Costly hailstorms are increasing rapidly. See what the weather community is doing about it.

title: “Large Hail Kills At Least One And Injures Dozens In Spain Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-15” author: “Patrick Eglinton”

Comment A sudden hailstorm in Spain’s Catalonia region sent people running for cover on Tuesday, with nearly four inches of hail killing a toddler and injuring about 50 other people, Reuters reported. Softball-sized hail struck the Spanish village of La Bisbal d’Empordà. Video on social media shows hailstones landing like rockets in a backyard pool, sending large splashes into the air. Another video shows the aftermath of the hailstorm, with several car windows shattered by the falling ice. Hail began to fall as a band played a set on a canvas-covered terrace at a local hotel, wreaking havoc on the venue, musician Sicus Carbonell told Reuters. “There was chaos, with little boys and girls running around on their own, some parents were able to grab their children,” Carbonell told Reuters. “Then a hailstorm ripped through the fabric … and I told my team that we were either going to get into the restaurant or one of those tennis balls was going to land on us and we weren’t going to make it. A storm brought massive hail to La Bisbal d’Empordà, Spain on August 30, damaging cars and injuring residents. (Video: The Washington Post) Broken bones and bruises were the most common injuries caused by the sudden barrage. A 20-month-old girl was killed when one of the hailstones hit her on the head. “We had the horrible case of the little girl who was hit by a stone,” the mayor of La Bisbal d’Empordà, Carme Vall, told Spain’s national broadcaster RTVE on Wednesday morning, according to a Guardian report. “Not much could be done for her and she died today. It was a terrible accident.” Five things you need to know about hail like ‘yes — it happens in summer’ Hail rarely kills or injures people, making Tuesday’s hailstorm in Spain highly unusual. Forecasts and warning systems usually allow people to take shelter, which means most hail damage is to cars and homes — and it can be significant. The hailstorm that hit Catalonia on Tuesday was the largest recorded in Spain since at least 2002, Catalan weather service Meteocat said on Twitter. The storms that caused the hail were triggered by a cold front approaching Western Europe from the Atlantic Ocean. Hailstorms can be billion-dollar disasters, knocking off roofs and breaking glass over a wide area. In 2022, at least two hailstorms have caused more than $1 billion, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Remarkably, these hailstorms hit nearly the same area — parts of southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin — just 10 days apart. In the nation’s ‘hail’, severe storms and rapid development are on a costly collision course But dangerous hail has caused deaths and injuries in the United States in the past. In 2018, a hailstorm hit parts of Colorado, killing several animals at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and injuring at least 14 people. “One person’s watch exploded when he was hit by hail and another was hit so hard on the head that it broke his hard hat,” zoo CEO Bob Chastain said. In particular, our XOM observer in Bisbal d’Empordà (Baix Empordà) recorded a maximum stone diameter of up to 10 cm. pic.twitter.com/oCpUQlRKfL — Meteocat (@meteocat) August 30, 2022 Just three people are known to have been killed by hail in the United States, according to weather blog Category 6 reports in 2020. The deadliest hailstorm on record occurred in Uttar Pradesh, India in 1888. Hail the size of oranges fell, killing 246 people and hundreds of animals, according to a report in the journal Weather, Climate, and Society. Argentina’s 2018 hail may have broken the world record The largest hail ever recorded in the United States fell in Vivian, SD, in 2010. The hail was eight inches in diameter and weighed a record 1.9375 pounds, breaking the records set in 2003 and 1970, respectively. The hail was likely even larger when it fell, as melting and sublimation caused the stone to shrink before it could be verified by the National Weather Service. Some believe that larger hailstones have fallen on Earth, however. A hailstone that fell in Argentina may have been as large as 9.3 inches in diameter, meaning it would have broken the record if verified. The storm produced at least one giant, 7.1-inch stone, which was safely stored in a freezer for official measurements. “The hail lasted 20 minutes. It was kind of scary,” said Victoria Druetta, who grabbed the stone. “It hit and then exploded and then melted some. It was probably even bigger.” Costly hailstorms are increasing rapidly. See what the weather community is doing about it.