My impression is there's been more hail this year than is normal, no idea if that is a) statistically true or b) due to any particular conditions - but we've had a few hailstorms here recently (North Midlands) and friends in Oxon have reported several quite hefty instances there. Wiki informs the world "hail is most common in mid-latitudes during early summer where surface temperatures are warm enough to promote the instability associated with strong thunderstorms, but the upper atmosphere is still cool enough to support ice". It also records freakish 6 inch diameter hailstones weighing over a pound each which have killed people (and probably not done a lot for courgettes and outdoor toms either - or greenhouses come to that! ) So glad you and your plants are safe, busylizzie.

bb.

=