Rizal hailstorm a normal occurrence, says Pagasa

Photo contributed to INQUIRER.net by Tyron‎e Jay Almendrala

MANILA, Philippines – Ice fall is normal even for a tropical country.

After hail rained upon Rodriguez, Rizal Wednesday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that hailstorms are normal occurrences during a thunderstorm.

Pagasa weather forecaster Aldczar Aurelio told INQUIRER.net that ice crystals the size of golf balls form inside thunder clouds after a hot sunny day.

“Ice forms in the clouds, and when it gets heavy enough, it falls down to earth as hail,” Aurelio said Thursday.

He aded that the ice crystals, once inside the clouds, collide with each other and would decrease in size.

“Hailstorms are perfectly normal, it’s a normal part of the weather,” Aurelio said.

He added that there are no shifts in the weather despite the rare occurence of a hailstorm.

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