A giant hailstorm just killed an emu at a Missouri zoo – Scientific American

April 29, 2026 2 min read Add Us On Google Add SciAm A hailstorm of these proportions is “unusual” but not unheard of in Missouri at this time of year, one expert says By Jackie Flynn Mogensen edited by Claire Cameron An example of large hail similar in size to what fell on Springfield, Mo., on Tuesday. NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory Join Our Community of Science Lovers! Hail pellets the size of softballs pelted the area near Springfield, Mo., on Tuesday, reportedly damaging cars, homes, and gas meters and even killing a 21-year-old emu at a local zoo. Hail is basically made up of balls of frozen rain—during thunderstorms, as warm air carries rain droplets high up into the atmosphere, the rain freezes. As more water layers on top of a frozen droplet, it forms a hailstone. Some of the largest hailstones can fall as fast as 72 miles per hour, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This week’s hailstorm was “unusual” but “not unheard of” in the region at this time of year, says Alan Gerard, a former NOAA meteorologist and founder of the newsletter Balanced Weather. On supporting science journalism If you’re enjoying this article
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