SHILLONG: A heavy hailstorm swept through Shillong on Wednesday, leaving roads, footpaths and parking areas blanketed in white. Traffic police cleared thick layers of hail from roads in several parts of the city, including Polo and Jaiaw, and near the Deputy Commissioner’s office and Raj Bhavan.
At Ward’s Lake, locally known as Nan Polok, children and young people gathered the hail to make figures and pose for photographs. The sudden downpour caught many commuters by surprise, and some took out their phones to record the storm.
Hail fell with heavy rain around 11 a.m. and again in the evening as thick clouds darkened the city. In some areas, hail piled up along roadsides and across open spaces, giving parts of Shillong the appearance of a snow-covered landscape. The rain and hail also brought a sharp chill to the city.
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According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Shillong recorded 28.4 mm of rain between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The temperature fell from 20.5°C to 12°C. The Meteorological Centre in Shillong warned of heavy rain, thunderstorms with lightning, gusty winds of 40–50 km/h and hail in parts of Meghalaya.
