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Sonora, CA – A heavy but brief hail storm hit Tuolumne County this afternoon, notably in downtown Sonora.
The pictures in the image box, taken from right outside the Central Sierra Broadcasting radio stations along South Washington Street, show that the hail was about the size of a penny and fell during a heavy downpour. Click the video button under the photo box to watch how the rain overwhelmed the drainage system and created a torrent of water down the street sides.
As surprised as people were in downtown Sonora to see the hail, as we reported earlier here, last evening, the NWS stated that a “severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado” was located near South Dos Palos, or 25 miles west of Madera. Luckily, the storm had weakened by 6:15 p.m., and it was downgraded to a severe thunderstorm warning.
Additionally, more stormy weather will blow through the region. As reported here, the National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the western slope of the northern Sierra Nevada above 4,500 feet and Yosemite National Park, above the Valley floor, from 5 PM this afternoon until 11 PM Sunday.
