Hail observations and hailstorm characteristics in Europe: A review

This article will give a comprehensive overview and review of the present state of knowledge on hail hazard and hail frequency over recent decades up to centuries across Europe and is intended as a reference for future studies. We attempted to summarize and synthesize the various prevailing studies with the objective to identify regions that are most prone to hail hazard. Another focus is put on mechanisms that may explain spatial variability and inhomogeneities in hail frequency observed across various spatial scales.