Vietnam's Dong Nai province experiences brief hailstorm

A localized hailstorm, featuring hailstones as large as corn kernels, surprised residents in Dong Nai province on the evening of May 25. The brief but intense weather event occurred in the Trang Bom area, with initial reports describing hailstones the size of a thumb before shrinking to corn kernel size.

“

The rain initially had a few stones the size of a thumb, but later they were only the size of corn kernels. The hailstorm was short, sparse, and within a narrow range, so the impact was not significant.

Fortunately, the storm was short-lived and scattered, resulting in no damage to crops, homes, or livestock. While some neighboring areas experienced heavier rain leading to localized flooding, the hailstorm itself had minimal impact. The hailstones were measured at 9.4mm in Trang Bom, with the rain lasting about 40 minutes.

According to the Dong Nai Meteorological and Hydrological Station, this type of weather, including thunderstorms, lightning, and hail, is common during the early rainy season and seasonal transitions. The phenomenon occurs when high daytime temperatures cause water vapor to rise into the upper atmosphere, where temperatures are below freezing, leading to rapid ice formation.

“

Early in the rainy season and during seasonal transitions, thunderstorms, lightning, hail, and strong winds are common. During this time, daytime temperatures are very high, and water vapor rises very high through the troposphere, where the temperature is below 0 degrees. Water freezes suddenly into particles and falls, forming hail.

Despite hail being infrequent in Dong Nai, meteorologists warn that the region and its surroundings are entering a period prone to severe weather. Residents are advised to remain vigilant and take precautions against potential dangers such as thunderstorms, strong winds, tornadoes, and hail.

“

In the coming period, Dong Nai province and surrounding areas are in the early rainy season, with a high probability of thunderstorms accompanied by lightning, strong winds, and hail. Therefore, people need to be aware of and guard against damage from these dangerous weather phenomena.