Severe Local Storm Surprised Sancti Spiritus

Sancti Spiritus residents were surprised this Wednesday afternoon by a severe local storm, which came to be a very unusual event in Cuba’s coldest winter month. Winds ranged from 70 to 80 km/hour and an unusual presence of hails was also reported.

By Elizabeth Borrego Rodríguez *

According to the local meteorology office’s specialist Freddy Ruíz, the over-an-hour thunderstorm was due to the presence of a short wave in the troposphere´s low levels over the island.

The direction of the wind, the high humidity levels and the high temperature (almost 30º C), were other factors that had to do with the occurrence of the storm. Winds ranged from 70 to 80 km/hour and an unusual presence of hails was also reported.

Winds ranged from 70 to 80 km/hour and an unusual presence of hails was reported in the central territory of the province, where rainfall topped 37mm. Hails are much more common in the country between April and August.