Last night at around 7:00, Orange Walk Town was pelted by golf ball sized hail, swept by 39 miles per hour wind, and deluged by more than 6 inches of rain. Our colleague at the Northern Cable Network captured the tail end of the storm as the hail fell. The tape documents the sound of the hail balls as they pelted the aluminum door of the office. Later shots taken of the outdoors show what it looked like outside as the balls of hail came down.
The Meteorological Office has confirmed that Orange Walk and Corozal Districts were hit by a freak and violent thunderstorm beginning around 5 yesterday evening. In other parts of town the 39 mile per hour gale force wind caused havoc damaging roofs, small houses, and trees. At Tower Hill 6 inches of rain was recorded which caused isolated flooding in parts of the town turning some homes into small ponds. Hail was also reported at Mollejon in Benque and in parts of Toledo.
Deputy Chief Meteorologist Ramon Frutos told 7NEWS that these storms are not unusual in intense dry spells like the one Belize is currently experiencing. He also says these storms are hard to predict which is why no advance warning was given of the approaching storm. He also warns that we should expect two or more before the dry spell is over. He again can't say when because they are hard to predict. According to Frutos the last documented case of hail in Belize was back in 2003.
