Videos and photos on social media featuring hailstones have been going viral recently, with many saying that this happened in the Klang Valley. Did this happen as claimed?
VERDICT:
TRUE
The incident happened at 5pm on Monday (Jan 24) in several locations including Ukay Perdana and Wangsa Maju, reported Sinar Harian.
In a post on its website, the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) said that hailstones were clumps of ice produced during thunderstorms or cumulonimbus clouds.
“This usually occurs during unstable weather, where strong currents within the cumulonimbus clouds would create clumps of ice. Hailstones then take place when the clumps of ice drop to the ground without melting,” it said.
MetMalaysia added that such storms could occur wherever thunderstorms were, especially areas where strong cumulonimbus clouds are formed.
The public were also warned to take cover in shaded areas and advised to park their vehicles in roofed locations.
