HailChatter

December tornadoes are rare, but the EF4 that struck Mayfield, Kentucky on December 10, 2021, became one of the deadliest winter tornadoes in U.S. history. It leveled neighborhoods, claimed 89 lives, and caused more than $3 billion in damage. In this closing episode of Season 2, Meteorologist Taylor Cox and Collin Hunt look back at the atmospheric setup that made this outbreak possible, why the Ma...

Hail is the most expensive severe weather hazard in the U.S., racking up as much as $15 billion in losses each year—yet key parts of hail science remain under-researched. ICECHIP set out to change that with a first-of-its-kind campaign measuring hail from cloud to ground using mobile radars, aircraft, drones, and a brand-new hailsonde that rides the updraft like a hailstone. In the second part of...

An EF-3 tornado in Enderlin, North Dakota was upgraded to EF-5—108 days after the event. That’s rare. In this episode, meteorologists break down why the rating changed, the damage indicators that mattered (rail cars, a swept-clean foundation), and how radar signatures and storm interactions created a brief “perfect window” for violent intensity. HailChatter hosts Meteorologist Taylor Cox and Colli...

Hail is finally getting its turn in the spotlight. ICECHIP is a massive, international field project with 100+ researchers, mobile radars, drones, hail pads, impact disdrometers, and even portable freezers—built to measure hail from cloud to ground and everything in between. In this episode of HailChatter, Meteorologist Taylor Cox and Collin Hunt interview Becky Adams-Selin and John Allen to unpac...

Downbursts are powerful, straight-line winds that explode out of thunderstorms and can topple trees, power lines, and even damage roofs with 80–100 mph force. In this episode of HailChatter, Meteorologists Taylor Cox and Collin Hunt sit down with NSSL researcher Charles Kuster to explain what downbursts are, how radar helps detect them, and why new forecasting tools are keeping communities safer....

Wichita, Kansas just lived through a rare September run of severe weather — two hailstorms in a week and reports of softball-size hail in southern Kansas. In this episode of HailChatter, Meteorologist Taylor Cox and Collin Hunt react to storm chaser Justin Hugh’s wild story of being pummeled by 5” hailstones and having his car struck by lightning during a similar September hailstorm back in 2010....

From storm chasing to forecasting hurricanes, HailTrace CEO Derik Kline joins Meteorologist Taylor Cox and Collin Hunt to break down how he’s forecasted the weather for 25+ years. He answers questions like why weather apps get it wrong and what models can (and can’t) tell you. Plus, we take a look back on weather forecasting over the last 25 years and a look at the future of AI in meteorology. Wea...

What’s it like to fly into powerful storms—sometimes at night—with lightning flashing all around you? Dr. Dan Stechman, a Meteorological Software Engineer at HailTrace, shares what it’s really like inside NOAA’s Hurricane Hunter aircraft. From flying through massive nighttime thunderstorms to capturing tornado data from the air, Dan breaks down the science behind these missions—and why it matters...

Season 2 of HailChatter kicks off with the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season forecast! HailTrace CEO Derik Kline joins us live to break down what areas will be most impacted in this year's hurricane season! We cover how El Niño vs La Niña could shape the season, why certain U.S. coastlines are more at risk, and what people need to do to prepare for hurricanes. 💥 What you’ll learn in this episode...

You think a marginal risk day is boring? Nothing is going to happen? Think again! Mother Nature will throw you a curveball.   In this episode, Taylor Cox, John Choquette, and Collin Hunt dive deep into some of the most surprising hailstorms that erupted from marginal risks, or even days with no risk at all. From Denver’s costly tennis-ball-sized hail to San Antonio’s rush-hour surprise, discover w...

What’s the difference between soft and hard hail? And does it actually impact the way you work storms? In this episode of HailChatter , Meteorologist Taylor Cox and Collin Hunt break down a common question in the restoration industry—what makes hail “soft” or “hard.” The answer may not be as simple as you think. In this episode, we cover: ❄️ How hail forms —the science behind updrafts, supercooled...

It’s HailTrace’s 15-year anniversary—and we’re celebrating with the best storm chasing stories over the years! 🚨 In this special episode, Meteorologist Taylor Cox and Collin Hunt sit down with CEO Derik Kline, Lead Meteorologist John Choquette, and Customer Success Lead Justin Hughes to share the wildest, closest, and most unforgettable storm chases from the past 15 years.  From a busted windshie...

It’s the anniversary of the April 29th, 2022 Andover Tornado—one of the most iconic storms in recent memory. In this episode of HailChatter , Meteorologist Taylor Cox and Collin Hunt take you inside the world of Local Storm Reports (LSRs) and why they matter so much for issuing tornado warnings or working storms in the restoration industry. Topics discussed include: 🌪️ What are LSRs and how are th...

You’ve probably heard it before—Dallas-Fort Worth is the hail capital of the world. But why? In this episode of HailChatter, Meteorologist Taylor Cox and Product Evangelist Collin Hunt sit down with CEO Derik Kline to break down why DFW gets hit so often—and so hard. Spoiler: It’s more than just location. It’s about the heat trapped by concrete. Listen now to learn: 🔥 What the urban heat island e...

We just dropped the official 2025 Hail Forecast! ☄️ In this episode of HailChatter, CEO Derik Kline joins Meteorologist Taylor Cox, Lead Meteorologist John Choquette, and Collin Hunt to walk through what we’ve seen so far—and what’s still to come. In this episode, we cover: 📍 Which areas have already been hit—and how the 2025 forecast is measuring up 🌪️ Why we are just getting started and this st...

The biggest storm weekend of the year so far brought tornadoes, giant hail, and non-stop severe weather across 20+ states. In this episode of HailChatter , Meteorologist Taylor Cox, HailTrace CEO Derik Kline, and Lead Mapping Meteorologist Stephen Barabas break down: 🌪️ The Science Behind the Storms – Why this system was so powerful and how it compares to past outbreaks. 🧊 Hail Trends – Why some...

Imagine chasing storms for a living—then seeing your own storm-chasing truck on the big screen. That’s exactly what happened to HailTrace CEO & Founder Derik Kline when he became an extra in the 2024 Twisters movie . In this episode of HailChatter , meteorologist Taylor Cox sits down with Derik to get an inside look at his time on set.  He shares what it was like to be part of a big-budget pro...

You’ve probably heard it before—“I’ll take care of that in the off-season.” But in the restoration industry, does an off-season even exist? In Episode 2 of HailChatter, we dig into this question, breaking down weather data and storm restoration industry trends to show why even the most common weather patterns can catch you off guard. For some areas, hailstorms are can pop up year-round. For others...

Welcome to HailChatter, the podcast where weather meets restoration, brought to you by ⁠ HailTrace⁠ ! Your Cohosts are Taylor Cox, a meteorologist with a background in emergency management, and Collin Hunt, a messaging strategist focused on helping businesses succeed. Together, they break down the impact of severe weather on the restoration industry. In this short intro episode, they lay the found...

The biggest hailstorms of 2024 weren’t just record-breaking—they shaped the restoration industry that can still be felt today. In this episode of HailChatter, we dive into the top 5 hail events that shattered records, caused billions in damage, and kept roofers, adjusters, and restoration pros busy long after the storms passed. Join Cohosts Taylor Cox and Collin Hunt as they break down: ⛈️ The Okl...