Given the forecast transition from El Niño to La Niña, meteorologists predict 2024 will feature yet another active season for hail events and other severe convective storms. This year’s season has gotten off to a fast start, with many property underwriting, risk and claims executives already dealing with the spate of events that began at the tail end of winter across the U.S. Southwest, Southeast and Midwest.

Nonetheless, the events and the predictions have brought little surprise: In recent years, impacts from severe convective storms have become more widespread and damaging. Last year, tornadoes, hail, high winds and severe storms caused more than $60 billion in damage, according to Swiss Re. NOAA reported these storms included nearly 7,000 hail events in 2023, up from more than 4,400 in 2022.