These 10 states are getting hit the hardest by severe hailstorms
Research shows that as global temperatures continue to rise, hailstones will continue to get bigger.
The number of severe hailstorms in the United States rose significantly over the last three years, and the damage from increasingly massive hailstones is pushing up insurance rates in the hardest hit states, according to a new study.
Data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows that severe hail events increased by 21% from 2022 to 2024, the study by Insurify, an insurance shopping company, found.
“Hailstones are formed when raindrops are carried upward by thunderstorm updrafts into extremely cold areas of the atmosphere and freeze,” NOAA says on its website. “Hailstones then grow by colliding with liquid water drops that freeze onto the hailstone's surface.”
When hail comes crashing down, however, it can cause significant damage to cars and property, not to mention human health.
“The U.S. has incurred more than $50 billion annually in severe convective storm losses over the past two years,” Mark Friedlander, director of corporate communications at the Insurance Information Institute, said in a statement. “These storms typically generate significant levels of hail damage to homes and vehicles.”
The hardest hit states
The top 10 states with the highest increases in major hailstorms are:
Missouri
The state saw a 182% increase in major hail events between 2022 and 2024 and a 730% increase in storms with hailstones of 2 inches or bigger .
Illinois
In 2024, the “Land of Lincoln” recorded 216 severe hailstorms, a 108% increase from 2022, with two-inch-plus hailstone storms up 320% over that time span.
Indiana
Between 2022 and 2024, Indiana recorded a 107% rise in major hail events, with a 220% increase in 2-inch-plus hailstone storms.
Texas
Major hail events were up 93% in Texas over the three-year period, with 787 recorded in 2024. Two-inch-plus hailstone storms increased by 220%.
Pennsylvania
The Keystone State saw major hail events rise 88% between 2022 and 2024, with 2-inch-plus hailstone storms increasing 25%.
Iowa
Iowa, which saw hailstorms this week, had an 80% increase in major hail events over the three-year period, and a total of 258 severe hailstorms. Two-inch-plus hailstone storms rose by 121% over the three-year period.
Louisiana
New Orleans is the Louisiana city most at risk of a major hailstorm, the occurrence of which rose by 77% from 2022 to 2024. Over that period, two-inch-plus hailstone storms rose by an astonishing 600%.
Kansas
From 2022 to 2024, Kansas recorded a 71% increase in major hail events and a 110% jump in 2-inch-plus hailstone events.
Colorado
Major hail events rose by 65% from 2022 to 2024 in Colorado, which also saw a 107% increase in 2-inch-plus hailstone events.
New Mexico
New Mexico saw a 63% rise in the number of major hail events over the three-year period, and a 60% rise in the number of storms with 2-inch-plus hailstones.
Rising temperatures mean bigger hailstones
A study published last year by researchers at Northern Illinois University found that if global temperatures continue to rise, the size of hailstones will continue to increase.
“A warmer climate leads to increased water vapor, which serves as energy for thunderstorms and creates stronger updrafts on average — and more large hailstones aloft,” a summary of the study stated. “As hailstones begin their downward trajectory, they encounter a melting level height that is expected to increase in the future due to warming."
“Our study suggests golf ball-size hail or larger will become more common because of more atmospheric instability, which leads to stronger thunderstorm updrafts,” study author Victor Gensini, professor of atmospheric science at NIU, said in a statement. “Strong updrafts are a key ingredient for the formation of larger hailstones,” he added. “In our study, the largest hailstones are found to increase by 15% to 75%, dependent on greenhouse gas emissions.”
Rising insurance costs
A 2024 report by Climate Central, a consortium of scientists and journalists, found that “insured hail losses average from $8 billion to $14 billion per year in the U.S.”
Along with the increase in the number of major hailstorms in recent years, insurance premiums have also gone up.
“The rising cost of hail-related claims has led insurers to increase premiums for homeowners’ insurance policies,” Capital Premium Financing, which sells commercial insurance, said on its website. “The logic is straightforward: as the risk of hail damage goes up, so does the cost of providing coverage. Insurers need to ensure they have sufficient funds to pay out claims, which means higher premiums for policyholders.”
Tracking where damaging hail is falling
At HailPoint, a website started by meteorologist Mike Dross, you can track the latest nationwide hailstorms and the amount of damage they have caused. On March 15, for instance, 3.5-inch hail caused severe damage in Owensboro, Ky. A Ford/Mazda car dealership was especially hard hit, with 99% of the vehicles on the lot damaged, including broken windshields and pock-marked exteriors, owner Tyler Brubaker told Spectrum News.
“You’ve got dents all over the hood. Small ones, big ones,” he said.
On its website, State Farm Insurance offers tips on how to prepare for a hailstorm.
“If a storm is on the way, review your emergency plan with all members of the house, have an emergency bag with essentials, pull your vehicles into a covered space or garage, close your blinds and curtains, and stay away from windows,” the insurance company advises.