LAHORE: In an unusual turn of events, Lahore found itself under a blanket of hail, transforming parts of the city into what seemed like a hill station.
This surprising hailstorm, occurring in March, is considered a rare sight, defying the expectations that winter might soon give way to spring. The weather anomaly struck the city at approximately 2:30 pm, concentrating its intensity downtown and around the Mall Road and Gulberg area.
Temperature drops as hail, rain hit Lahore#TheOpinion pic.twitter.com/iIgAaZZuH9
— The Opinion (@TheOpinion70) March 2, 2024
Hailstones, resembling small strawberries, covered streets and rooftops, leaving residents both astounded and delighted.
Lahore Right Now #rain #lahore pic.twitter.com/CUofTEqx7e
— Kamran Malik (@KamranM1214) March 2, 2024
The sudden weather shift led to a substantial traffic breakdown, creating chaos on the roads filled with hailstones. Despite the inconvenience, residents took a positive approach, with some even relishing the unusual occurrence. The younger population seized the opportunity to play with the hailstones, while mobile phones were wielded to capture stills and videos of the falling ice pellets. Reports from different parts of the city varied, with some localities, like Faisal Town, experiencing only a light shower, emphasizing the localized nature of the phenomenon.
The temperature witnessed a significant drop after the hailstorm in Lahore, challenging the assumption that winter was bidding farewell. The Meteorological Office, while not officially recording the hailstorm, acknowledged its rarity. Meteorologists explained that while the plains of Punjab do experience hailstones in winter due to temperature differentials, this particular occurrence was deemed uncommon.
More in store for Lahore
According to the Met office, the rain and hailstorm were attributed to a westerly system impacting the northern areas. Furthermore, they forecasted another westerly system that would bring rain over the plains and snowfall over the hills starting from Monday.
