Saturday, November 17, 2007

Joburg Storm Fells Trees, Chokes Cars

Heading back from the cycling Expo, we were caught in a violently fierce hailstorm. We knew when we emerged out of the building at around 16:30 and it looked like 18:30 that kak was in the air. Sure enough, when we pulled out of the underground parking, rain, then hail lashed us, quickly turning the roads into rivers. In a remarkably short space of time, trees came down, and cars stalled where they stood.

It is a strange conincidence that in Bloem around another cycling event (2 weeks ago)a storm approached sounding like an express train. It too was a hailstorm, but it was more remarkable not for its ferocity, but for its sudden onset.

Was there a warning? Yes there was, on Weathersa: National Warning - Issued on Friday, 16 November 2007 at 16.00

Weather conditions which may lead to the development and spread of runaway fires are expected in the southern areas of the West Coast District and Cape Town Metropole.
Thunderstorms in the eastern North-West Province, Gauteng and western and central Limpopo may become severe, with a risk of large hail and damaging winds.

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