Hailstorm Hits Guadalajara, Mexico

Guadalajara, Mexico, was covered in ice after a hailstorm hit the city Sunday, June 30, and the area subsequently flooded. According to CNN, residents woke up to more than 3 ft of ice in some areas of the city. More than 450 homes were affected by the hailstorm, some even had ice push through doors and windows, according to NPR.

The storm has baffled some residents, considering Mexico is currently in the middle of summer. According to NPR, the temperature hit more than 90 degrees Fahrenheit this month. 

When the hail melted, the streets were covered in water and some cars were swept away or pushed on top of each other, according to NPR. The water and debris blocked one major highway for hours, a video showing the flooding was posted to Facebook. 

Ismael del Toro, Guadalajara’s major, has said 20 people have been treated for hypothermia, according to NPR. The governor of Jalisco, where Guadalajara is the capital, took to Twitter to express his concerns regarding the storm. 

"Hail more than a meter high, and then we wonder if climate change exists," Mayor Enrique Alfaro Ramirez said on Twitter, according to CNN.

Jalisco government is working with the Mexican Army and Guadalajara authorities to help with cleanup on public roads and to also help support those whose homes were affected, he said. The army and authorities used heavy machinery to dig out the city before the hail melted, according to NPR. No injuries or fatalities have been reported, Ramirez also commented, according to CNN.

On Facebook, Jalisco Civil Protection officials said 30 vehicles and 60 homes were damaged in the Rancho Blanco part of the city, according to NPR. 

Fortunately, the city is expects the hail melt by Monday, July 1. According to NPR, thunderstorms are likely and the temperature is forecasted to reach 81 degrees Fahrenheit.