It's pouring hail stones in Kutch, Saurashtra now
Rajkot: After continuous unseasonal rainfall over the past three days, several areas of Kutch and Saurashtra were covered with a blanket of ice pellets as the downpours were accompanied by hail on Thursday.
Though hail is not uncommon in these regions, the magnitude was unprecedented as several villages and towns of Kutch, Jamnagar and Devbhoomi Dwarka, Morbi and Surendranagar witnessed hail stones pouring since Wednesday.
The sight was particularly amusing in Greater Rann of Kutch where large swathes of the deserted were covered with white ice pellets.
Hail storms were reported from villages in Abdasa, Nakhatrana, Lakhpat and Khavda talukas of Kutch. An officer of Bhuj district administration said: “The land around Mata no Madh near Nakhatrana was completely blanketed by hail stones. The sight reminded one of snow-clad roads in Himachal Pradesh.”
There were thunder showers in Bhuj too.
Jayanta Sarkar, director, India Meteorological Department, Gujarat said: “The hail is result of strong convection under the influence of cyclonic circulation that lies over south west Rajasthan and adjoining neighbourhood. "Convection happens when water vapour travels at a greater height of 5-7 km resulting in hail storm over isolated places. Light rains are expected in parts of Saurashtra, Kutch and north Gujarat on Friday as well," said Sarkar.
Hail storms were reported from villages in Abdasa, Nakhatrana, Lakhpat and Khavda talukas of Kutch. An officer of Bhuj district administration said: “The land around Mata no Madh near Nakhatrana was completely blanketed by hail stones. The sight reminded one of snow-clad roads in Himachal Pradesh.”
There were thunder showers in Bhuj too.
Jayanta Sarkar, director, India Meteorological Department, Gujarat said: “The hail is result of strong convection under the influence of cyclonic circulation that lies over south west Rajasthan and adjoining neighbourhood. "Convection happens when water vapour travels at a greater height of 5-7 km resulting in hail storm over isolated places. Light rains are expected in parts of Saurashtra, Kutch and north Gujarat on Friday as well," said Sarkar.
The average rainfall Kutch received from 1998-2018 was 401mm. Bucking the expected lines, this year’s wet spell during monsoon left the region soaking with 738mm of rainfall and that too, all within a span of three months only.
Meanwhile, unseasonal rain continued to pound most parts of Saurashtra for the third consecutive day on Thursday. In Dhoraji of Rajkot district, 50mm rainfall was recorded in two hours. Rain also lashed Jetpur and Jamkandorana of Rajkot district.
In Jamnagar district, the towns that were lashed by rain included Lalpur (25mm) and Jamnagar (7mm).
Rainfall was recorded in Junagadh (15mm) and Khambhaliya of Devbhoomi Dwarka (10mm) too during the day.
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