The University of Colorado Boulder’s Integrated Remote and In-Situ Sensing (IRISS) team, led by Professor Brian Argrow, is part of the In-situ Collaborative Experiment for the Collection of Hail In the Plains (ICECHIP). This six-week, NSF-funded project unites 15 U.S. and three international research institutions to study hail storms across Colorado, Iowa, Texas, and North Dakota. ICECHIP, the largest U.S. hail study in 40 years, aims to understand hail formation and improve infrastructure resilience in “Hail Alley,” where summer storms cause billions in damages annually.
ICECHIP Hail Storm Research
ICECHIP, led by Rebecca Adams-Selin of Atmospheric and Environmental Research, uses advanced tools like Doppler on Wheels radar trucks, microwave radiometers, and CU Boulder’s RAAVEN drone. The Robust Autonomous Airborne Vehicle – Endurant and Nimble (RAAVEN), a 6-foot-wide drone, maps hail swaths by flying behind storms at 120 feet, capturing images with a 360-degree camera. Sensors measure wind speed, air pressure, temperature, and humidity, providing data on storm impacts. The drone, built from durable foam, can fly for two hours at speeds up to 75 mph.
The IRISS team, including graduate student Céu Gómez-Faulk, operates the semi-autonomous RAAVEN, guiding it via a digital “carrot” marker while following in SUVs to comply with FAA rules. Additionally, other ICECHIP efforts like Professor Katja Friedrich’s team using radiometers study air inflows to storms.
The campaign’s 100 researchers and 20+ vehicles, including hail-protected trucks, collect comprehensive data to advance hail science. When complete, ICECHIP’s findings could reduce property damage and save lives by improving storm predictions and infrastructure in hail-prone regions.
Hail and its Consequences
Hail forms when updrafts lift water droplets into the stratosphere, where they freeze and grow by collecting supercooled liquid. ICECHIP researchers collect and freeze hailstones, test their strength, and analyze environmental conditions to improve forecasting.
Since 2012, hail has caused $280 billion in U.S. damages, per Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety estimates. Understanding hail’s behavior could enhance warning times and guide better building practices.
