Are hail storms frequent in New England?

Question

Hear they happen in Florida, but do they happen very much in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maine, etc.?

Answer 1

Actually, Florida gets less hail than you would think, given how many thunderstorms we have. Part of that is because we are often under the influence of a subtropical climate, and the air aloft isn't quite cold enough to support the growth of significant hailstones, and many melt before they reach the ground.

Really big hail happens when you have vigorous uplift in unstable air with very cold cloud tops. Such storms happen much less frequently in New England than in the midwest and south.

Here's a pertinent clip from a webpage, cited below:

"Storm research has determined that hail is most likely to form when the height of the wet-bulb zero level falls between 2200 and 2800 metres (approximately 7000 to 9000 ft). The wet-bulb zero level is an adjustment to the altitude at which the melting point of ice (0-degree C) occurs and takes into account the added cooling effect generated by the evaporation of precipitation into the surrounding air. Precipitation falling through relatively dry air can cool the air further by evaporation of liquid water, thus lowering the height of the wet-bulb zerolevel below the altitude of the 0-degree C temperature isotherm.

It is important that the wet-bulb zero level falls within this narrow altitude range, for the likelihood that a hailstone will form and then fall to the surface decreases when the level is outside this range. If the wet-bulb zero level is too high, most hailstones will melt before reaching the ground. A prime example of these conditions can be found in the State of Florida. Although Florida is a hotbed for thunderstorm activity, the wet-bulb zero level is usually too high and thus hail fall is infrequent -- most forming stones melt before reaching ground.

If the wet-bulb zero level is too low -- below 2200 m -- it usually indicates a relatively cold air layer at low altitudes that will inhibit the formation of strong updrafts within the thunderstorm needed to promote the growth of hailstones."

It's likely that such storms form only rarely in New England.

Answer 2

No, they don't happen that often. The last one I can clearly recall happened several years ago.

Answer 3

No really. I don't see them very often here in Massachusetts. :)

Answer 4

They are really rare there