Hail storm turns Oallen Road into winter wonderland

The storm which rolled in across the region mid afternoon produced small hail which once on the ground looked like the area had turned into a snow field.

The hail covered the road and was quite deep on the road edges.

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Interestingly while Oallen Road received a covering, there was nothing in the Nerriga township itself, about four kilometres away, or further towards the coast at Sassafras.

Residents at both locations reporting good rain and lots of thunder and lightning in the storm, but no hail.

The temperature at Sassafras did fall to around three degrees.

It was nothing like almost three years ago in July 2015 when Sassafras, 45km west of Nowra and 20km east of Nerriga, recorded about five centimetres or two inches of snow in a  sudden cold snap.

The Bureau of Meteorology said an upper level cold pool led to instability in the atmosphere, causing the thunderstorms. Within the storm itself there was a mix of rain and small ice pellets.

The BOM duty forecaster said the instability and cold temperature led to hail in the area.

“We had reports it was snow, but it wasn’t snow,” the forecaster said.

“It was small ice pellets and when they accumulate on the ground it does look like snow.

“But if you picked it up and examined it, it was small ice pellets and not fluffy snow.”