Backyard pools are usually the perfect place to head when summer weather serves up the heat. But when weather turns stormy and thunder, lightning, and hail show up, it’s one of the last places you want to be. A homeowner in France captured the effects of a sudden storm that blew through on July 14, dropping golf ball-sized hail in Saint-Thomé.
The pool, located in Southern France, was hit with what Accuweather estimated to be thousands of hailstones on the property as it blew through. If you haven’t heard recently, Europe has been hit with weeks of extreme weather, enduring heatwaves and intense storms.
The most recent scary scene is going viral, with several different homeowners sharing their own backyard videos, with some people finding individual hailstones as big as softballs.
Sadly, at least two people were killed during the storms. Here’s what we know.
Southern France Was Hit with Massive Storms After Prolonged Heatwave
Two people lost their lives after severe storms brought severe thunderstorms to the region last week. The village of Saint-Victurnien was hit particularly hard, and a woman was killed by a falling tree. Then, in the south-east Isère area, lightning struck and killed the owner of a metalwork shop when it sparked a fire, according to the Independent.
The storm prompted alerts and warnings across 30 of France’s administrative districts, and an estimated 53,000 people were left in the dark after heavy winds toppled local electric pylons. Additionally, people in other areas of the country reported property damage from the storm, sharing how hailstones as big as tennis balls destroyed vineyards, cars, and roofs in the region.
Europe’s Reign of Extreme Weather Continues
The Independent reports that the storms came hot on the heels of last month’s record heat in the region, which prompted a “nearly one-third” surge in deaths, which amounted to 2,000 more fatalities than happened the week before. According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), parts of Europe (mainly western Europe) experienced the hottest June on record this year.
That heat didn’t go away as soon as the calendar page flipped, either. Instead, the WMO says it continued to raise the mercury in July, contributing to the wildfires making headlines in France and the Iberian Peninsula. Strong El Niño conditions are being blamed and will likely continue to produce severe weather around the world for the rest of the summer. However, the WMO warns that Europe may be especially vulnerable to this weather pattern, since it doesn’t usually see such extreme weather patterns as other parts of the world do.
Unfortunately, with climate change continuing to be a global pattern, it is likely that severe weather will become more common in these areas. Hopefully, homeowners in the area have time to prepare.