Hailstorm in Kuwait by Matt Taylor
Kuwait, one of the driest countries in the world, is still recovering from an astonishing bout of torrential rain, squally winds and giant hailstones which battered this desert state in recent days.
Twice as much rain fell on Wednesday than the average level for the whole of the year. The rainfall totals were remarkable and probably unprecedented, with Kuwait airport reporting 302mm (11.9 ins) and Kuwait City 258mm (10.2 ins) of rain in 30 hours up to 9am local time on Thursday. The annual average rainfall varies from 750-150mm (6 ins) a year across the country.
The freak weather conditions have caused widespread flooding with roads, schools and businesses closed and a number of flights cancelled. The rain got so intense that drivers were forced to stop their cars on the motorways amid winds of up to 70mph.
Weather experts said cold air from central Europe had encountered very warm, moist air from the Gulf. This, combined with a slow-moving area of low pressure, had fuelled explosive cloud development and the subsequent storms.
Children squealed with delight as they collected and swallowed the pebble-sized hailstones. The hailstorm fascinated people in Kuwait, as many had not witnessed such a phenomenon before.
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