Mexico just experienced a freak hailstorm and the photos are surreal
Unprecedented weather patterns have been resulting in strange phenomenon such as snow in Maui to a record-breaking heatwave in Europe. Residents around the globe are encountering scenes that they never thought they would see in their hometown.
Guadalajara, one of Mexico’s most populated cities, just experienced a historic hailstorm with ice up to 1.5 metres (five feet) deep, reports the BBC. By the morning of June 30, a thick layer of hail had covered the streets, rooftops, and even vehicles in at least six neighbourhoods, creating a wintry scene that, based on photos, looks like it belongs more in arctic regions than in Mexico.
Located six hours from Mexico City in the state of Jalisco, Guadalajara sits at an elevation of 5,000 feet. While you may only know the destination from Season Four of Narcos, you should also know that the tropical destination is no stranger to storms.
“Thunderstorms are common from June to September in the city and surrounding area as increasing tropical moisture aids in thunderstorm development across the higher elevations of western Mexico,” said Eric Leister, AccuWeather Meteorologist.
The weekend weather conditions brought an unprecedented amount of hail to the city. Guadalajara was experiencing high temperatures combined with a thunderstorm, which resulted in a hailstorm as well as flash flooding that caused the hail to build up in huge piles.
Jalisco Governor Enrique Alfaro Ramirez tweeted that he had never seen a situation like this before. He added the probing comment, “and then we ask ourselves if climate change exists.”
Muy temprano, antes de ir a la CDMX para el arranque de la Guardia Nacional, estuve en el lugar para evaluar la situación y fui testigo de escenas que nunca había visto: el granizo a más de un metro de altura, y luego nos preguntamos si el cambio climático existe. pic.twitter.com/cognB1JHg6
— Enrique Alfaro (@EnriqueAlfaroR) June 30, 2019
The governor also shared after the unusual hail in the Metropolitan Area of Guadalajara, mainly in Rancho Blanco and the Industrial Zone, Jalisco Civil Protection personnel attended the situation starting at dawn.
Luego de una inusual granizada en distintas colonias del Área Metropolitana de Guadalajara, principalmente en Rancho Blanco y en la Zona Industrial, personal de Protección Civil Jalisco atendió la situación desde la madrugada. pic.twitter.com/EZ0XQhhIW6
— Enrique Alfaro (@EnriqueAlfaroR) June 30, 2019
He continued that the government of Jalisco worked with the Mexican Army and municipal authorities of Guadalajara and Tlaquepaque to remove hail from the highway, as well as provide support to citizens who suffered damage to their homes.
En coordinación con el Ejército Mexicano y autoridades municipales de Guadalajara y Tlaquepaque, el Gobierno de Jalisco trabaja en la limpieza y remoción de granizo en la vía pública, así como en el apoyo a la ciudadanía que sufrió afectaciones en sus viviendas. pic.twitter.com/4q1zgPXys2
— Enrique Alfaro (@EnriqueAlfaroR) June 30, 2019
No injuries or deaths have been reported from the storms, although reports say that 200 homes have been damaged and dozens of vehicles were swept away or buried.
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I got this pictures from #Guadalajara, my hometown in Mexico. Key areas of the city got over 4 inches of hail. It’s the middle of summer and the weather is forecast to reach 80 degrees today. pic.twitter.com/PzCEglc4MH
— Toni Castro-Cosío (@castroco) July 1, 2019
How do you fancy a toilet hail geyser ??! This was during the severe #hailstorm in #Guadalajara, Mexico this morning 30th of June Photo by 📸 Simcha Nazir via Red Climatica Mundial #severeweather #ExtremeWeather #Mexico pic.twitter.com/vLyNyYU9gE
— WEATHER/ METEO WORLD (@StormchaserUKEU) June 30, 2019
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My dad sent me these photos of Guadalajara , Mexico. 3 feet of hail, he says. Unbelievable! pic.twitter.com/0IinwGvKWB
— Parker Branton (@ParkerBranton) July 1, 2019
Here’s a close up of the #hail accumulations in Guadalajara, #Mexico! Unbelievable! pic.twitter.com/JJKg8cpJZD
— MsTarrie (@ms_tarrie) June 30, 2019
This is what it looks like this morning in neighborhoods I used to visit frequently in Guadalajara, Mexico after an intense hail storm last night. pic.twitter.com/iGGRBFCIB6
— Nick Johnson (@nicoryanj) June 30, 2019