An very severe hailstorm surprised The Elbow in the early afternoon, leaving a trail of damage in the countryside and the town centre in just a few minutes. The ice stones reached sizes close to 3 centimeters, with numerous hailstones comparable to a one euro coin, and they fell with such force that they made people lower blinds and close windows in a hurry.
The episode occurred with the province on yellow alert for storms, within the framework of a cell that crossed the north of Teruel. In the town, the channel known as the val It overflowed, at times preventing passage to the agricultural roads and making it difficult to immediate evaluation from all damages.
How and when the hail struck
The storm was activated around 16:15 and discharged with intensity during about 15-20 minutesFirst, there was dry hail, and then the hailstorm came, accompanied by rain, increasing the virulence of the episode and the risk to crops and homes.
In the urban center hail was recorded considerable size, with a multitude of medium-sized stones and occasional hits from larger balls. Neighbors and municipal officials report that doors and windows had to be secured due to the impact of the ice, which bounced loudly off roofs and blinds.
The hailstorm was associated with very strong gusts of windIn the area, the number of deaths exceeded 80-90 km / h according to local observations, and AEMET measured peaks of 71 km/h in ValderrobresThe passage of the storm also brought a thermal drop remarkable; in nearby places like Calanda, the thermometer dropped to 19,6 ° C.
In the province, the episode left uneven but significant accumulated precipitation: Fonfria registry 12,4 l/m²While Montalbán reached 8,8 l/m², calanda sumo 8,2 l/m² y Castellote hovered around the 6,2 l/m², according to data from the AEMET and observation networks in the area.
Impact on the countryside and the urban area
Los almond and olive trees The crops around La Codoñera are among the most affected; numerous plots were left badly damaged due to the impact of the ice and the subsequent runoff. In several places, hail I do not forgive neither the fruits nor the accompanying vegetation.
In the urban area were reported broken tiles, blinds and antennas torn off by the wind, in addition to damage to facades and containersWitnesses describe scenes with downed antennas on public roads and debris scattered by the force of the storm.
La overflowing valley complicated access to roads and farms, so the balance is still provisional. There was small floods in basements and garages, and the City Council opened the pavilion to protect vehicles and minimize further damage while the storm subsided.
The Mayor's Office emphasizes that, within a margin of little more than 20 minutes, a lot of water and hail fell, with severe effects on both the field as in some homes. Inspection and cleaning work continues to precisely delimit the real impact throughout the municipality.
The image that remains in The Elbow After the hailstorm it is that of a term hit in the middle of summer: damaged almond and olive fields, streets with damage and a community that is already working to quantify losses and repair the most urgent matters, waiting for the weather to allow access to all the properties and complete the damage assessment.
