September 2023 marks record-breaking month for hail in U.S.

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- September 2023 was a record-breaking month for hail in the United States, according to updates of the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) Storm Prediction Center on Thursday.

There were 420 preliminary large hail reports in the country with 63 reports of hail larger than two inches in diameter. Both of these are a record for the most preliminary hail reports for any September on record, according to NWS.

Earlier this week, severe thunderstorms produced large hail in parts of the Plains in the country, including large hailstones that fell in Kansas.

Meanwhile, September only recorded 12 preliminary tornadoes, the sixth fewest tornadoes on record for any September since 1950, according to NWS.

The below-normal tornado activity is related to minimal landfalling tropical systems - at least the portion of the storm most favorable for tornadoes, said NWS.

Despite minimal tornado activity, the country saw severe weather activity well above normal with 1597 reports. This is nearly 700 reports above the 2013-2022 average, according to NWS.