Hail in super slow motion could help us better understand extreme weather
AUSTIN (KXAN) — While hot weather is in the forecast, a recent string of severe weather events has left its mark across parts of Central Texas. A couple of tornadoes, plus hail storms, have ramped up a quiet severe weather season.
Researchers with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have been out in force, studying this weather before, during and in the aftermath.
Sean Waugh is one such researcher. Based out of Norman, Oklahoma, the research scientist crosses the Southern Plains in a fully decked-out truck in the hopes of capturing rare footage of a hailstone in flight.
“Hail is a very like, damaging weather phenomenon, but it’s also very difficult to study,” Waugh said.
According to Waugh, hail damage is more costly than tornado damage each year. Annually, tornadoes cause about $2 billion in damage. Hail causes around $15 billion.
“What are we missing about hail on its way down that we don’t see when you’re only looking at what’s left. How does that look to radar? How fast are they falling?” Waugh said.
He’s spent this severe weather season in a truck designed to capture footage of these stones. Covered in powerful lights, cameras on board the truck capture video of hail in 4K at over three hundred frames per second.
“We’re answering questions we haven’t even been able to ask before, let alone actually provide answers to.”
The work conducted by the National Severe Storms Laboratory is appropriated by Congress. Waugh said this consistent funding source allows their work to take more risks and try new things that privately owned companies usually can not.
Changes to NOAA funding
On May 2, President Donald Trump provided his recommendations for the 2026 budget. These recommendations included reducing NOAA’s budget by more than $1.5 billion.
According to the budget proposal, the administration aims to terminate “a variety of climate-dominated research, data, and grant programs, which are not aligned with Administration policy-ending ‘Green New Deal’ initiatives.”
Additionally, the reductions aim to rescope NOAA’s satellite program and eliminate “unnecessary layers of bureaucracy” while “promoting innovation.”
Waugh declined to comment on the proposed cuts.
NOAA told KXAN in a statement when asked about changes at NOAA:
“Per long-standing practice, we don’t discuss internal personnel and management matters. NOAA remains dedicated to its mission, providing timely information, research, and resources that serve the American public and ensure our nation’s environmental and economic resilience. We continue to provide weather information, forecasts and warnings pursuant to our public safety mission. Thanks for your understanding.”
Michael Musher, NOAA Spokesperson
On the same day the president’s budget was announced, five former leaders of the National Weather Service signed an open letter in response to the cuts. The letter said the proposed budget cuts account for around 30% of NOAA’s budget.
“This budget would essentially eliminate NOAA’s research functions for weather, slash funding for next generation satellite procurement, and severely limit ocean data observations,” according to the statement.
These cuts would also impact weather forecasters. “Even if the National Weather Service remains level funded, given the interconnectedness of all of the parts of NOAA, there will be impacts to weather forecasting as well. We cannot let this happen,” the letter states.
The administration has already offered early retirement to NOAA employees. At least two local National Weather Service employees have announced their retirements since the buyout was offered.
Meanwhile, severe weather season continues.
“I think we’re going to be out on the road a lot, you know, collecting a lot more data over the next couple of weeks. You know, means I need to keep a bag packed,” Waugh said.
