Hail, a growing climate hazard in France? Insurers and scientists on alert

A week ago, hailstones, sometimes the size of ping-pong or golf balls, measuring two to four centimeters, suddenly fell in Paris and its surrounding region , in the Marne and in Lyon. The result: dented cars, cracked windshields, part of the Champagne vineyards affected, chickens died instantly, some damaged roofs, but no major damage. The event, which, unusually, hit two major cities on Saturday, May 3, was spectacular enough to make headlines without being "large-scale," according to the French Federation of Insurers (France Assureurs).

The period of ice ball rain, which generally runs from spring to early autumn, has only just begun. The Southwest and the Massif Central up to the Lyon region are historically the most affected areas. Hail is born in cumulonimbus clouds, the storm-making clouds: these form when warm, humid air at ground level meets a cold mass at altitude. "It hails regularly in France. Very often, it's limited to the size of a marble, so it's rel