For a number of centuries, people in Europe used to ring church bells and fire cannons in order to try to prevent hail. After World War II, cloud seeding was done in order to eliminate the hail threat. To this day, no hail prevention method has proven to work.
The list is based on momentum. It attempts to examine the storms which were significant for their record-setting phenomena. From storms with the heaviest and the most severe hailstones, to storms with the largest life loss, the world has seen it all. Let’s remember those who suffered the loss due to the severity of the storms.
1. Gopalganj, Bangladesh:
This was the heaviest hailstorm in the world, occurring on April 14, 1986. The storm killed 92 people and recorded the heaviest hailstone art 2.25 pounds. The storm hit the city at more than 100mph.
2. Yuwu, China:
This city recorded the largest hail stones ever in 1902. Within 15 minutes, the stones the size of baseballs fell, breaking skylights, roofs, street lights and shattering electric signs. The loss totaled more than $2 million.
3. Cheyenne, Wyoming:
This is the most hail-prone city with 9 to 10 hailstorms per season. Like Colorado, the state has a region known as Hail Valley where the epicentre is demarcated.
4. Denver Colorado:
The state and not just the city has a hail season from April and August. The front range of Colorado is located in the middle of hail valley. This region sees the highest frequencies of large hails in North America.
5. Bucharest, Romania:
A large rainstorm was witnessed on July 25, 1872. The rain did not just bring hail, it brought with it a myriad of black worms that littered the streets. In the summer of 1997, Romania, including Bucharest suffered heavy rains again. The storm caused major damages, including 24 death, 464 damaged houses, 295,085 ha of affected agricultural land.
6. Vicksburg, MS, USA:
A thunderstorm caused large amounts of rain and hail in 1930. Interestingly enough, not only rain fell on the ground. A solid piece of alabaster and a frozen turtle came flying from the sky as well. In 2008, the city was again affected by hail. This time the hail was pea sized for 5 minutes.
7. Kashaka, Uganda:
100 houses were affected in March of 2012 by hail. Many people were sleeping in texts after their homes collapsed. People are still in dire need of food and shelter. The situation has not improved since then, especially with over 120 farmers being stranded due to destroyed crops.
8. Vivian, South Dakota:
This city is famous. During a hail storm on July 23, 2010, the largest hailstone in the United States fell. It was 8 inches and 20 cm in diameter and weighed 1.93 lbs. Yikes; it may have actually killed someone.
9. Perth, Australia:
In March of 2010, the biggest storm hit Perth. Within a matter of hours, 150,000 home were without electricity and residents were flooding emergency service requesting for assistance. Worst of all the roads were underwater and traffic was a standstill. This was the first big storm in 50 years.
10. Mordabad, India:
The city got the taste of rain on May 1, 1888. The storm cost the lives of 250 people, many of whom were pounded to death. In recent years, further cases were reported. India is one country and Mordabad is one city to be affected by hail. Hailstones over 3 inches are not unusual.
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