Two days ago, hail was observed in Baku. Heavy precipitation was recorded in certain areas of the capital. Although hail is not characteristic of the Absheron Peninsula, the frequency of such events has increased in recent years.

This was reported to AZERTAC by Said Safarov, Doctor of Geographical Sciences and Head of the Laboratory of the Geography of the Caspian Sea at the Institute of Geography of the Ministry of Science and Education. According to him, atmospheric processes in spring are characterized by instability, and particularly this year, high activity has been observed from late March to early April.

It was noted that the phenomena currently occurring across the country are mainly associated with convective processes. As a result of differential heating of various parts of the territory, as well as the interaction of cold and moist air masses entering the region, strong upward air currents form in the atmosphere. In this process, moist air rises, undergoes condensation, clouds are formed, and crystallization occurs in higher atmospheric layers, leading to intense showers of varying intensity and, at times, hail.

 Against the background of relatively cool conditions in April, the isotherm corresponding to 0°C descends closer to the Earth’s surface, allowing even relatively small ice particles formed in clouds to reach the ground without melting. Such precipitation is typically localized in nature and does not cover all areas of Baku.       This is due to the relatively limited spatial extent of cumulonimbus clouds.

Said Safarov emphasized that, as a result of climate change, both the frequency and intensity of such events are increasing: “Whereas such phenomena used to occur rarely, they are now observed more frequently.” According to him, similar weather events are not исключены in the coming days and will depend on the prevailing synoptic conditions.