Tracking Colorado Deep Hail, The CHAT Project

news image
Special Stories
23 May 2018 3:34 AM
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, hail damage costs can range in the billions of dollars annually. For instance, several of the United States' 2017 billion-dollar weather and climate disasters involved severe storms and hail, including the devastating severe storms and hail events that impacted Colorado and the central United States during May 2017.     This makes it very important to track deep hail events and why the National Weather Service and the University of Colorado have partnered on the Colorado Hail Accumulations from Thunderstorms (CHAT) Project, a project that is sponsored by the National Science Foundation. The CHAT Project is an effort to better understand and eventually forecast the thunderstorms that produce these events, and the CHAT Project needs the help of the public. The NWS and University of Colorado have developed a radar-based algorithm that can determine hail depth, and once deep hail is indicated with the algorithm, volunteers would be asked to go out and verify hail depths, along with taking pictures of the hail. Verification of the NWS/CU hail algorithm could potentially lead to better forecasting of the types of thunderstorms that produce deep hail events and potentially lead to better protections for society from financial losses due to hail. The project runs from May to September, 2018. If anyone is interested in volunteering for the project, contact Dr. Katja Friedrich at Katja.Friedrich@Colorado.edu. You can also learn more about the CHAT project at http://clouds.colorado.edu/deephail/. For WeatherNation, I am Meteorologist Marcus Walter.
All Weather News
More
Flood Risk Increasing Across the Ozarks Sunday and Monday

Flood Risk Increasing Across the Ozarks Sunday and Monday

If your Memorial Day weekend plans take you a

25 May 2025 1:20 AM
Severe Weather and Heavy Rain Threat  Across Central and Southern U.S.

Severe Weather and Heavy Rain Threat Across Central and Southern U.S.

A slow-moving system is bringing the threat o

25 May 2025 12:50 AM
Chances of Development Increasing in the Pacific

Chances of Development Increasing in the Pacific

Hurricane Season has begun in the Eastern Pac

25 May 2025 12:40 AM
Strong Storms Possible in Florida & the Southeast This Weekend

Strong Storms Possible in Florida & the Southeast This Weekend

Stormy afternoons have returned to Florida, a

24 May 2025 10:30 PM
NOAA Predicts Above Average 2025 Hurricane Season

NOAA Predicts Above Average 2025 Hurricane Season

COURTESY: NOAAThe mark of 2024’s Atlantic Hur

24 May 2025 3:50 PM
Unseasonably Cool and Wet Weather Gripping the Northeastern U.S.

Unseasonably Cool and Wet Weather Gripping the Northeastern U.S.

A coastal low is moving up the Northeast coas

24 May 2025 2:45 AM
Gulf Coast Heat Continues

Gulf Coast Heat Continues

The stretch of record heat continues in Texas

24 May 2025 2:40 AM