(3/30/2009)
On Thursday, March 19, 2009, Bali's capital of Denpasar fell victim to an unprecedented combination of heavy winds and hail that damaged several homes along the Jalan Pidada area of the city.
Heavy hail in combination with high winds destroyed the roofs of several homes, damage that was largely repaired within one day of the event. Because of the limited extent of the damage, Denpasar municipal officials are still considering if financial aid will be extended to the residents of the affected structures..
Bali-based meteorologists report that the hail storm of large ice particles is the first incident of its kind recorded on the island. Rare in tropical equatorial zones, hail storms are usually experienced in sub-tropical areas.
The storm that affected Denpasar varied between 3 and 10 minutes, depending on which area of the city is being discussed.
Bali weather experts are blaming the ice storm on the presence of large cumulonimbus clouds, strong winds and high temperatures.
More to Come?
A report in the Jakarta Post quotes Bali weather experts as warning of the possibility of strong localized wind squalls and lighting storms from large cumulonimbus clouds expected to form over Bali during the season shift between March until May.
Well known and avoided by pilots, cumulonimbus clouds are vertical cloud formations that can soar thousands of feet in height with shapes that can resemble mushrooms or giant anvils. Characterized by strong vertical winds patterns, these clouds often carry lightning and thunderstorms.
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