Researchers at the National Severe Storms Laboratory have developed a high-speed camera that captures real-time data on falling hail. Unlike previous studies that assessed hail after it lands, this mobile camera can analyze individual hailstones' properties including size, depth, and velocity. Encased in protective polycarbonate, the camera operates at 330 frames per second and is mounted on a weather-resistant pickup truck. Initial findings have already begun to challenge established assumptions about hail, potentially enhancing our understanding of its effects on the environment and informing severe weather predictions.
"We're actually seeing results from this system that are challenging some of the ways that we're going to look at hail going forward," Waugh says. "The data being collected with this system is going to drastically improve our understanding of hail and how it impacts our living environment."
The camera, mounted on a diesel truck with a metal cage, can capture individual hailstone details like size and velocity at 330 frames per second.
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