If you follow weather reports closely, you would be prepared for some heavy rain in the northern, eastern and central areas of Singapore.
But would you ever expect some hailstones?Hail was seen in Yishun, Yio Chu Kang and Sengkang
The weather phenomena last occurred in 2013.
And it has allegedly happened again at about 4.30pm on Jan. 30, 2018.
Multiple people from Yishun to Sengkang were obviously surprised by what was described as "raining ice" by some:
https://twitter.com/dorreennz/status/958260216310611968
Woah it is hailing in Yishun!! #hail #sg
— .:smerv:. (@smerv3) January 30, 2018
Crazy storm and stuck in traffic on the way from #Yishun to #YioChuKang this aft. Hail, 20+ trees over the road, thick traffic, snapped road barriers, bent signage. Our taxi driver said he’s never seen anything like it....and he’s been around awhile! #singapore #storm #weather pic.twitter.com/62s7T2BLgG
— The Snapped Fork (@thesnappedfork) January 30, 2018
https://twitter.com/AngweeCher/status/958267163021750278
[related_story]
Video circulating on WhatsApp
A video submitted to Mothership by a reader showed heavy rain with hailstones on the ground that allegedly happened in Seletar Country Club.
[video width="480" height="848" mp4="https://static.mothership.sg/1/2018/01/video-1517306729.mp4"][/video]
According to the reader, the video has been circulating on WhatsApp.
Another video posted on Facebook shows a venue in Nanyang Polytechnic, supposedly pelted with hailstones.
Uncommon in Singapore
According to the NEA's website, hail is less common in tropical countries like Singapore.
Hailstones form in strong thunderstorm clouds, particularly those with intense updrafts, high liquid water content, great vertical extent, large water droplets and where a good portion of the cloud layer is below freezing 0 °C.
Thunderstorm heaviest where hailstones were reported
Speaking to Mothership, the Meteorological Service Singapore shared that thundery showers fell over many parts of Singapore between 3.30pm and 6pm and was heaviest in the northern parts of the island where hailstones were reported.
The weather radar image below shows the areas affected by intense thundery showers at 4.50pm:
Sightings of hailstones in Singapore have been reported every few years on average. The last reported sightings of hailstones in Singapore were in October 2014 and June 2013.
Until then, here's a throwback to when one Gandhimathi Muthusamy shared her epic experience in the hail in 2013.
Top image screenshot via video contributed by Neal Ang
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