Hanoi has thunderstorms, gusty winds, and the sky is dark in the middle of the day.

On the afternoon of July 19, Hanoi was hit by a heavy rain accompanied by strong winds, the sky was pitch black in the middle of the day, causing panic among many passersby.

At around 4pm on July 19, many areas in Hanoi were covered in dark clouds and strong winds. A few minutes later, torrential rain poured down on the streets, the sky darkened as if entering night.

The sudden heavy rain caught many road users off guard, and they rushed to find shelter. Traffic at many central intersections became chaotic and congested due to limited visibility. Some low-lying areas such as Ba Dinh, Dong Da, and Hoang Mai wards began to experience light flooding.

Hanoi sky suddenly darkened at 4pm on July 19

“I was standing in the house looking out when the sky suddenly darkened like late afternoon, the wind blew hard and then the rain poured down. In just a few minutes, the road in front of the house was flooded." Mr. Do Ngoc Vinh, in Hai Ba Trung ward shared.

Ms. Nguyen Khanh Linh, living in Ha Dong district, said she was on her way home from work when she encountered a sudden heavy rain. “I was riding my motorbike when it got dark and the wind blew as hard as a storm. Unable to continue moving, I had to pull over to the side of the road to find shelter,” she said.

This afternoon, Hai Phong and Quang Ninh areas also experienced showers, thunder and lightning with strong gusts of wind. Many places in Quang Ninh recorded heavy hail, forcing passersby to stop and take shelter, not daring to continue moving.

Meteorological experts say this thunderstorm is the result of the strong development of convective clouds due to the influence of the far edge of storm No. 3 Wipha, which is active in the East Sea.

The Northern Delta Hydrometeorological Station warned that thunderstorms in Hanoi could continue for 1-2 hours with heavy rainfall concentrated in a short period of time, accompanied by dangerous phenomena such as tornadoes, lightning and strong gusts of wind.

Heavy rain poured down in Hanoi area

Gia Lam area heavy rain, dark sky at 4:30 pm

Signs and trees fell in the storm

Stormy winds knock down trees at Nam Tu Liem crossroads

Dark skies, thunderstorms hit Hanoi before storm Wipha makes landfall

Heavy rain caused flooding in many areas of Hanoi

The meteorological agency forecasts that from July 21 to 23, Hanoi and the entire northern region will experience widespread heavy rain due to the direct impact of storm Wipha. This storm is moving quickly towards the mainland, with the tendency to strengthen and expand its area of influence. Storm No. 3 Wipha is forecast to cause very heavy rain in the provinces of the Northern Delta and midlands with total rainfall of up to 100-300 mm/period. Some places in the Northern mountainous areas may even record heavier rainfall, with a high risk of flash floods and landslides. Meanwhile, in large cities like Hanoi, localized flooding on many streets is likely to recur, especially in low-lying wards/communes with poor drainage systems.

Source: https://baolangson.vn/ha-noi-mua-dong-gio-giat-lien-hoi-bau-troi-toi-den-giua-ban-ngay-5053610.html