Renu Ramanathan

The unprecedented hailstorm experienced in some remote areas in the High Ranges of Kerala recently may have been resulted from the atmospheric temperature variations that took place over southern parts of the country during the last month, points out experts.

Hailstones pounded the cardamom and coffee plantations in Elamala during the first week of May, causing the plants to wilt and suffer extensive damage. Elamala, also known as Chekuthanmala, located in Ayyappan Kovil and Anavilasam villages in Peerumedu and Udumbanchola taluks in Idukki district, is one of the highest peaks in Western Ghats, with cold climatic conditions. The climate is considered suitable for cardamom cultivation.

The hailstorm followed a bout of summer showers in the afternoons which are common in summer season. Crops of cardamom, coffee and plantain in an area of 286 hectares, worth around Rs 27 crores, were estimated to have been destroyed in the pounding of hailstones with an average size of 8 mm to 12 mm. Around 19 houses, mostly tin and asbestos-roofed, were also damaged in the hailstorm. The trees in the area lost leaves, with the barks getting damaged.

An expert team consisting Dr G Mohan Kumar, scientist, centre for earth science studies, Thiruvanathapuram, Ajith Chacko, project officer, Kerala state disaster management authority and its programme coordinator Remesh Krishnan visited the area. The team assessed that the hailstones fell in a particular trajectory along the slopes of Elamala (Chekuthanmala). During the last month (April), the temperature of South India had shot up to around 44 – 46 degree Celsius, leading to the sudden heating up of the surrounding air. This led to the moisture content in the atmosphere to condense at a fast rate, causing the formation of hailstones.

 They continued that the widespread rain during the last week of April lead to a decrease of humidity in the atmosphere over the Arabian Sea and subsequently to the formation of thunder clouds over the hill ranges of Western Ghats. The formation of thunder clouds further increased the possibility of temperatures to fall down to -20 to -15 over the hill ranges, providing conditions suitable to the formation of hailstones.

 The team observed that, this is one of the rare phenomenons and may or may not repeat in the future. They also said that these kinds of sudden changes in climate can occur as there is a considerable increase in the upper levels of temperature during this summer.

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