Southern Switzerland hit with golf ball-sized hailstones
The Italian-speaking canton of Ticino experienced storms with heavy hail on Friday evening. Some of the hailstones had a diameter of up to 4 centimeters.
The region around Locarno was particularly affected. Some cars were damaged and a few people received minor injuries. However, nobody had to be taken to the hospital.
Overall, a lot of rain fell in Ticino and the Engadine amounting over 80 millimeters. This, according to the public broadcaster’s weather service SRF Meteo, came in two waves: one on Friday evening – partly with hailstorms in the Onsernone valley, a second in the later half of the night with strong thunderstorms and gusts of wind of 80 kilometers per hour in the Upper Engadine.
In der Region #LocarnoExternal link am Freitagabend grosskörnigen #HagelExternal link. Im #TessinExternal link und auch in der #SurselvaExternal link kamen mit den starken #GewitterExternal link|n lokal auch schon grössere Regenmengen zusammen. #obachtExternal link: Es kommt noch viel Regen dazu! ^ds pic.twitter.com/S4F0xSaz93External link
— SRF Meteo (@srfmeteo) August 26, 2023External link
Thunderstorms followed by heavy rain – danger looms
According to SRF Meteo, the thunderstorms will be followed by persistent heavy rain on Sunday and Monday. Accordingly, exceptionally large amounts of water will fall.
According to SRF meteorologist Daniela Schmuki, small and medium-sized streams could develop into torrents, particularly in the Ticino and Graubünden regions, but also generally in the central and eastern mountain areas. Landslides, debris flows and flooding are imminent, she warns.
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