A319 flight crew reported a windshield crack that resulted in a return to the departure airport.

Attributes
ACN	1749608
Time
Date	202007
Local Time Of Day	1801-2400
Place
Locale Reference	PHL.Airport
State Reference	PA
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Climb
Flight Plan	IFR
Component
Aircraft Component	Cockpit Window
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying Captain
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Instrument
Person 2
Function	First Officer Pilot Not Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence

Narrative:

Departing phl during climb out passing 6;000 ft. To 12;000 ft. We experienced heavy rain with moderate turbulence and possible hail that resulted on a cracked [right] windshield panel (first officer window). The breakage of the window activated an ECAM message related to the window heat. QRH procedures were performed. Due to the broken outer windshield we decided to divert back to the departing airport (phl) circumnavigating the weather on the west side an landing VFR on runway 9R 20 minutes later. There was no need to request priority handling due to the fact the inner panel of the windshield was intact.[the] previous aircraft being vectored in front of us reported turbulence also; but there was no place to deviate [at] that point since ATC was vectoring us between two precipitation cells.I was flying a basic A319 with a basic radar. If our radar would be one of the enhanced newer 320 or 321 with an advance radar with a better resolution we would have avoided this high precipitation and moderate turbulence area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A319 flight crew reported a windshield crack that resulted in a return to the departure airport.

Narrative: Departing PHL during climb out Passing 6;000 ft. to 12;000 ft. we experienced heavy rain with moderate turbulence and possible hail that resulted on a cracked [right] windshield panel (First Officer window). The breakage of the window activated an ECAM message related to the window heat. QRH procedures were performed. Due to the broken outer windshield we decided to divert back to the departing airport (PHL) circumnavigating the weather on the west side an landing VFR on Runway 9R 20 minutes later. There was no need to request priority handling due to the fact the inner panel of the windshield was intact.[The] previous aircraft being vectored in front of us reported turbulence also; but there was no place to deviate [at] that point since ATC was vectoring us between two precipitation cells.I was flying a basic A319 with a basic radar. If our radar would be one of the enhanced newer 320 or 321 with an advance radar with a better resolution we would have avoided this high precipitation and moderate turbulence area.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.