Wild Weather: Lightning, Hail Strike Napa, Heavy Rain In North Bay
NAPA (KPIX 5) – One month after an earthquake struck the Napa area, the region was pounded by an incredibly rare hailstorm Friday afternoon. Heavy rainfall and lightning were also reported throughout the North Bay.
A viewer in the Napa County community of Browns Valley took video of hail covering the ground like snow.
RAW VIDEO: Massive Hail Storm In Napa
KPIX 5 meteorologist Paul Deanno reported six inches of hail in the Napa area. Children were seen making snow angels and had snow fights with the hail.
"It was nothing but rain, then all of a sudden it comes down. It was complete hail for a good to 20 to 25 minutes," said Paul Frommelt of Napa. "In the 49 years I've lived here, I've never seen anything like this ever."
Several Napa County residents posted these photos of the storm on Twitter.
Crazy hail storm in Napa. Hope the cab survives! pic.twitter.com/QPC1zjDDkt
— Holly Evans (@hollycomm) September 27, 2014
Recovering from that #insanestorm #napa #brownsvalley #getmeouttahere #hail pic.twitter.com/OJg0CbE0uH
— Michelle Spencer (@RustyClover) September 27, 2014
Thanks napa I love it when I get hit with hail and when the streets flood pic.twitter.com/OTwhyqHARS
— makenzie lane (@KenzieeLane) September 27, 2014
Napa city is getting pounded right now with marble size hail. Lots of grapes still on the vine not far away pic.twitter.com/7pHaX68nRr
— Jim Gordon (@gordone_cellars) September 27, 2014
Earlier this afternoon, a severe thunderstorm warning was issued for Napa County. The warning expired shortly after 6 p.m.
In the Marin County town of Larkspur, a sunny afternoon gave way to a massive downpour. That storm even produced a reported lightning strike over San Pablo Bay. Weather officials also reported flash flooding in the Rockville and Green Valley areas of Solano County.