Saharan dust linked to European hail events

Abstract. Saharan dust significantly influences hail occurrence in Europe. Using Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) and reanalysis data, crowd-sourced hail reports, lightning data, and radar measurements, we find a strong correlation between elevated dust loading and hail events. Hail coverage exceeding 28 % of 1° × 1° grid cells only occurs when dust loading surpasses 2.4 mg m−2, while on hail days the median dust load is 1.82 times higher than on non-hail days (7σ difference). This effect is particularly strong along the Alpine crest, central France, eastern Germany, Austria, and Eastern Europe, where median dust loads more than double on hail days. By grouping data according to synoptic weather patterns, we confirm that hail days consistently exhibit higher dust concentrations regardless of prevailing synoptic conditions, supporting the robust link between dust and hail. Peak hail activity occurs at 38 mg m−2 or a dust optical depth of 0.033, suggesting enhanced cloud and ice nucleation. Above this range, hail frequency declines, likely due to microphysical or radiative constraints. Crowd-sourced reports show significantly more hail events on high-dust days, with up to 10 times more reports for hail >20 mm. Statistical hail models, including a logistic regression model (LRM) and a generalized additive model (GAM), rank dust as one of the top three predictors. Its inclusion increases the critical success index (CSI) by 5 % (LRM) and 12 % (GAM), and boosts explained variance in the GAM by 6 %. These findings identify Saharan dust as a key modulator of European hail activity, exerting both enhancing and inhibiting effects depending on dust concentration and the definition of hail events.