The promise of moderate to heavy thundery afternoon showers after a week of haze, brought another weather surprise - hail!
Many Channel NewsAsia users sent photos and even videos of the tiny ice pellets that rained down in various parts of Singapore, from Jurong to Bukit Batok, and Choa Chu Kang.
The National Environment Agency says the hail in Singapore was not caused by cloud-seeding in Indonesia, and the rain in other parts of the island is not toxic.
Accordingly, hail is actually less common in the tropics (Such as Singapore) despite a much higher frequency of thunderstorms than in the mid-latitudes because the atmosphere over the tropics tends to be warmer over a much greater depth. Hail is also much more common along mountain ranges because mountains force horizontal winds upwards (known as orographic lifting), thereby intensifying the updrafts within thunderstorms and making hail more likely.
"You still set yourself against my people and will not let them go. Therefore, at this time tomorrow I will send the worst hailstorm that has ever fallen on Egypt, from the day it was founded till now." Exodus 9: 17-18
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