The birth of clouds is a very interesting process, where the water cycle, the composition of the atmosphere and meteorological conditions converge. No cloud is the same as another, each one is different, just as humans are. But there are formation patterns that have made it possible to classify the types of clouds, some of them surprising for their ephemeral beauty. And perhaps the most impressive are those that discharge a large amount of precipitation, but even more impressive can be the plummeting ice fall from them. Hundreds of hailstones fall to the earth when the optimal conditions make it possible and although the majority are harmless, there are other cases where the hail can be giant like the one that recently fell in .
Giant hail shower in Australia
It is one of the most emblematic exotic paradises on the planet, its geographical composition and climate have helped the most impressive beings that cannot be seen in any other region of the world to develop there. But its climate is also special, as a warm climate can arise, as well as large storms can occur. Recently 18 nuclei hit the northeast coast of the country, mainly affecting cities such as Mackay and Darling Downs.
But the greatest damage originated in Yalboroo located in the northeast of Australia, where it rained giant hail. The diameters of the solid spheres of frozen water even reached measurements greater than 10 centimeters. One of these huge ice boulders broke the national record, according to the Australian Meteorological Agency (BOM). The colossal-sized hailstone measured 16 centimeters in diameter, the largest ever seen in Australia, although not in the entire world. The previous record was 14 centimeters in diameter.
Why is giant hail generated?
According to BOM calculations, the giant ice rock must have fallen at a speed of more than 100 kilometers per hour. A dangerous speed when it comes to objects falling from the sky directly to the surface. The damage became evident when the roof of a shopping center collapsed after the constant pounding of giant hail. The building had to be evacuated, however, no injuries were reported.
The Meteorological Agency also explained that the passage of a vanguard at mid-levels of the , along with the passage of colder and drier winds coming from the south, with the warm and humid air arriving from the ocean, caused the drizzle of giant hailstones. A convergence of all the optimal conditions for the birth of ice rocks finally brought the storm to bear on Australia.
It is expected that in the coming days the storms will continue to pass through that nation, although with less impetus than the previous ones. In any case, the authorities have alerted the population of any mishap. Sometimes when nature shows its storm, man cannot act in the face of such force and only has to take shelter to look at the untamed beauty of Mother Earth.