IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/nathaz/v121y2025i15d10.1007_s11069-025-07505-8.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Spatiotemporal characteristics and diurnal patterns of pre-monsoon hailstorms in northern Thailand

Author

Listed:
  • Nattapon Mahavik

    (Naresuan University
    Naresuan University)

  • Apichaya Kangerd

    (Naresuan University)

  • Jamorn Kunwilai

    (Naresuan University)

  • Sarawut Arthayakun

    (Naresuan University
    Department of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation)

Abstract

Hailstorms create considerable threats to agriculture, infrastructure, and communities; nonetheless, their climatological attributes are predominantly unrecorded in tropical areas like Thailand. This study presents a climatological analysis of hailstorms in northern Thailand, examining spatial, temporal, and atmospheric patterns over a decade (2015–2024). The dataset incorporates social media accounts, meteorological station observations, and radiosonde-based air stability indices to examine hailstorm frequency, variability, and environmental variables. Findings demonstrate that hailstorms primarily transpire in the pre-monsoon season (March–May), reaching a zenith in April, with greater activity occurring in the afternoon to early evening (15:00–19:00 local time). Spatial analysis using GIS indicates that diurnal hail frequency peaks during these hours, corresponding with solar heating that enhances convective instability. Hail frequencies were highest in Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and Lampang, with spatial variations attributed to orographic effects and mesoscale convective phenomena. Interannual variability was apparent, with 2023 recording the highest frequency of hailstorms (28 days) and 2019 the lowest (6 days), indicating possible correlations with ENSO and extensive circulation patterns. Atmospheric investigation indicates that hailstorms correlate with elevated Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE > 1,000 J/kg) and northwesterly wind patterns, which are favorable for deep convection. The extreme hail occurrence on April 9, 2024, impacting five provinces, illustrates the influence of cold air intrusions and interactions with westerly troughs in the formation of hailstorms. These results may inform hailstorm prediction and risk management strategies in the region. Future study requires dual-polarization radar validation, reanalysis datasets, and synoptic-scale analyses to improve hailstorm predictability in tropical areas.

Suggested Citation

  • Nattapon Mahavik & Apichaya Kangerd & Jamorn Kunwilai & Sarawut Arthayakun, 2025. "Spatiotemporal characteristics and diurnal patterns of pre-monsoon hailstorms in northern Thailand," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 121(15), pages 18057-18089, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:nathaz:v:121:y:2025:i:15:d:10.1007_s11069-025-07505-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s11069-025-07505-8
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11069-025-07505-8
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11069-025-07505-8?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Md Lamiur Raihan & Kenichiro Onitsuka & Mrittika Basu & Natsuki Shimizu & Satoshi Hoshino, 2020. "Rapid Emergence and Increasing Risks of Hailstorms: A Potential Threat to Sustainable Agriculture in Northern Bangladesh," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-18, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. A. V. M. Subba Rao & Fawaz Parapurath & M. A. Sarath Chandran & Santanu Kumar Bal & N. Manikandan & V. K. Singh, 2025. "Spatiotemporal variability and trends of hailstorms over India," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 121(2), pages 1687-1710, January.
    2. Adrian Piticar & Simona Andrei & Alexandru Tudor, 2024. "Spatiotemporal Variability of Convective Events in Romania Based on METAR Data," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-16, April.
    3. Tahmina Chumky & Mrittika Basu & Kenichiro Onitsuka & Md Lamiur Raihan & Satoshi Hoshino, 2023. "How Do Left-Behind Families Adapt to the Salinity-Induced Male Out-Migration Context? A Case Study of Shyamnagar Sub-District in Coastal Bangladesh," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-21, February.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:nathaz:v:121:y:2025:i:15:d:10.1007_s11069-025-07505-8. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.