Hail Measurement Techniques for Evaluating Suppression Projects

Abstract

Collection of hail data that will provide meaningful measures of the results of hail suppression projects varies according to five factors, including the geographical-climatic site, the statistical design, and the goal of the project. Eight possible techniques of collecting hail data are evaluated with respect to their use in different areas, availability of historical data, and with different project designs. Each technique provides data that have distinct limitations. However, the two data collection techniques rated best for projects having a continuous seeding (on all hail days) design are networks of passive hailpads and raingages, and crop-hail damage records. The best technique for use in projects utilizing a single-storm seeding design or a random daily seeding (single area) design is a network of recording hailgages.