Islamabad recently witnessed a powerful hailstorm that shattered windows, uprooted trees, and left residents stunned by the size of the hailstones. But what makes hailstorms so intense, and how do small ice pellets grow into golf ball-sized threats?
Hail forms inside thunderstorms when warm, moist air rises rapidly and meets freezing temperatures high in the sky. This creates “updrafts” that push water droplets into cold zones, turning them into ice.
Also Read: Rain, Hailstorms Trigger Floods and Crop Damage Across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
These ice particles get tossed around by the storm — moving up and down — collecting more moisture each time. As this moisture freezes in layers, the hailstone grows. When it gets too heavy for the updraft to support, it crashes to the ground.
The recent storm serves as a reminder of how changing weather patterns can turn simple rain into damaging natural events.
