Metro Vancouverites witnessed a powerful hail, lightning, and thunderstorm on Sunday evening (Nov. 18).
Environment Canada meteorologist Brian Proctor tells V.I.A. that the weather event was "atypical," and the Lower Mainland is in the height of the fall storm season. However, the pea-sized hail isn't a regular occurrence.
"The magnitude of the cold air mass aloft in the atmosphere above what was fairly warm near the surface increased instability," he says, adding that it "allowed the convective cloud to build rapidly."
Proctor notes that there was fairly intense lightning activity across all of Metro Vancouver, with some communities reporting activity for two to three hours.
"A lot of hail that was pea size right as the Grey Cup was ending and parties were letting out from around 7 to 9 or 10 p.m.," he says. "It was on and off in pulses."
The system originated in the Gulf of Alaska and drifted from the Strait of Georgia over the Metro Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»area. The cold air aloft associated with the storm will also drive the bomb cyclone that is slated to impact the region starting Tuesday afternoon.
Unlike the bomb cyclone, however, this weather system is more of what they call a "nowcasting phenomena," meaning meteorologists don't see it forming until closer to the event, Proctor explains.
Locals share videos of unique Metro Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»weather events
Jamie Ball shared an image in the on Facebook lightning cracking in the sky near Broadway and Granville. Several members noted that the lightning followed bellowing thunder, while others seemed sure it was almost above their homes (see slide two).
The City of Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»traffic cam's view of West 10th Avenue shows the street covered in hail and snow pellets (see slide three).
Local weather enthusiast Ryan Voutilainen shared thermal imaging of the system that brought lightning and thunder to western sections of Metro Vancouver.
Dave Cole shared a video of lightning transforming the cloudy sky purple.
One person showed a video of the hail's size after it fell on the ground, commenting how it was "the size of peas and small marbles" and that they had "never seen this before." They also mention that it followed "the loudest thunder."
Other locals shared videos of the hail falling outside of their homes.
X user @soroush_m_n shared a perspective of the storm rolling into the North Burnaby area.
Stay up-to-date with hyperlocal forecasts across 50 neighbourhoods in the Lower Mainland with V.I.A.'s Weatherhood.
