A CNR-ISAC study recently published on Eos offers a more complete view of the distribution of hail in the Mediterranean, highlighting how Italy is the country most exposed to hailstorms of greater intensity. The study also led to the development of the first high-resolution global map of hail events.
“We analysed the high-frequency microwave observations acquired by the satellite sensor constellation of the Global Precipitation Measurements (GPM) mission. This type of sensors allow the use of a wide range of frequencies and have a high spatial coverage, providing considerable potential in terms of detection and investigation of hailstorms", explains Sante Laviola, researcher at CNR-ISAC and first author of the study.
Through these data, researchers will be able to improve meteorological and climate models, also supporting risk management for the mitigation of hail effects on the territory and human activities.
Laviola, S., G. Monte, E. Cattani, and V. Levizzani (2023), How hail hazards are changing around the Mediterranean, Eos, 104, https://doi.org/10.1029/2023EO230070. Published on 27 February 2023.