SEE: HUGE hail pelts KwaZulu-Natal in storm

Golf ball-sized hail rained down in several parts of KwaZulu-Natal on Tuesday afternoon. Check out these photos…

Residents in Nottingham Road in KwaZulu-Natal were shocked when golf ball-size hail pelted down on Tuesday afternoon.

THE GOLF BALL-SIZED HAIL CAME PELTING DOWN ON TUESDAY

People took to social media to share photos and videos of the HUGE hail.

This comes after weather services warned that isolated and scattered HEAT-induced thunderstorms were expected on Tuesday afternoon.

ALSO READ: MSC Splendida to dock in Durban next year

LOOK AT THESE PHOTOS:

THE HEAT-INDUCED STORM WAS EXPECTED ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON

According to Vox Weather, these weather conditions were already moving over the Eastern Cape around midday and reached KwaZulu-Natal on Tuesday.

A yellow Level 2 warning was also issued for severe thunderstorms over the escarpment and eastern Highveld in Mpumalanga, as well as the eastern parts of Limpopo.

WHAT IS HAIL?

Hail is made up of frozen droplets of water ranging in size from 3 mm to 5 cm. Hail is similar to rain as it provides water to farming areas and dams, but it can be extremely destructive to crops, livestock, vehicles, and infrastructure.

Hail formation requires strong convection currents or updrafts that transport water droplets rapidly upwards. This is why hail is most likely to occur during summer thunderstorms in South Africa. Updrafts of between 35 – 55 km/hr are required for small hailstones to form, whilst stronger updrafts of about 80 km/hr are needed to produce golf-ball-size hailstones. Hailstones grow in clouds that contain supercooled water that is below 0°C.

HERE ARE SAFETY TIPS FOR HAIL STORMS:

This can certainly be a traumatic experience depending on the size of the hailstones. As the saying goes, ‘prevention is better than cure  – it is better to be prepared than to suffer huge damage to your car and property. The following steps can be followed to minimise potential damage.

• Reduce speed and find shelter – By driving slowly, hail damage is minimised and reduces the risk of driving over slippery surfaces. If you are fortunate enough to be near a garage or an overhead bridge, park there until the storm is over. Do not park under trees, as falling branches could damage your car even further.
• Remain in your car – Remember that hailstones are extremely hard and heavy and, if large enough, can seriously hurt or even kill you.
• How to avoid severe damage to your car – Always keep a blanket or blankets in your car,  large enough to cover all areas exposed to hailstones.
• Face the hailstorm – It may be tempting to place the car’s rear into the oncoming hailstorm, but rather face the storm. The windscreen and headlights can withstand more significant impacts than side windows or tail lights. Be sure to park your car safely on the side of the road if no shelter is available.

By: Corné van Zyl