According to national hydrometeorological experts, the cause of white hail in some areas in the North in recent days is due to heat thunderstorms from convective clouds.
In recent days, thunderstorms accompanied by extreme weather phenomena such as hail, strong winds, and intense thunder have appeared in many provinces in the North (such as Hoa Binh, Son La, Lao Cai, Phu Tho and some suburban areas of Hanoi…) destroyed crops and property of many people.
Particularly on the afternoon of April 24, hail covered a large area in the Western provinces (such as Son La, Lao Cai, Phu Tho), causing these localities to suffer heavy damage to crops and fruit trees. and some construction projects.
According to a representative of the National Center for Hydrometeorological Forecasting (General Department of Hydrometeorology, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment), the hail phenomenon that has appeared in some areas in recent days is due to the influence of Strong convective thunderstorm clouds. This is called a thermal thunderstorm.
The above phenomenon is accompanied by high-intensity showers lasting from a few minutes to several tens of minutes, often occurring during thunderstorms during the change of season.
The hailstorm lasted about 20 minutes and covered many hills, fields, and villages in Hang Kia and Pa Co communes, Mai Chau district, Hoa Binh province.
Usually, heat thunderstorms appear on long hot days, when the sun heats them up, creating a low pressure area that stimulates convection to develop. Every year, May and June are the periods when temperatures in the North are very high, and the possibility of thunderstorms is higher.
In the Northern provinces or the capital Hanoi, thunderstorms often appear on very hot days, after about 4-5 pm.
The life cycle of a thundercloud is usually short, appearing in about 4-6 hours, but the time it takes for it to cause extreme weather is only a few dozen minutes. Thunderstorms often appear suddenly. Heavy rainfall occurring in a short period of time can cause flooding, broken trees…
According to the National Center for Hydrometeorological Forecasting, at this time the weather in the North is in the transition phase, so afternoon thunderstorms are repeated many times. In Vietnam, heat thunderstorms appear mainly from the beginning of summer and often at the end of every afternoon, after a day of intense heat.
Currently, the National Center for Hydrometeorological Forecasting can warn of thunderstorms in Hanoi 30-45 minutes before they occur.
To cope with extreme weather, the hydro-meteorological agency recommends that people closely follow the meteorological agency’s forecasts; Observe weather developments such as dark clouds, strong winds, cold, and humidity./.
