CALABAR — Residents of Calabar on Friday evening reported witnessing ice pellets falling during a rainfall in parts of the city, an occurrence many described as unusual for the coastal area NEGROIDHAVEN can report authoritatively.
Several residents said the phenomenon occurred during a brief rainstorm in locations including Tinapa Junction and the 8 Miles axis of the city.
Eyewitnesses said small pieces of ice, similar to ice cubes, dropped alongside the rain, drawing curiosity and excitement from residents who gathered to observe and pick up the ice pellets.
One of the residents, Myfortune Idam, said he witnessed the event around the 8 Miles area of Calabar.
“I saw ice cubes falling with the rain. It was surprising,” he said.
Another resident, identified simply as Elijah, said the rainstorm was accompanied by what appeared to be “ice blocks.”
“It was raining ice here in Calabar,” he said.
A resident, Endurance Asuquo, said he picked up one of the ice pieces near Tinapa Junction during the rainfall.
“I was able to pick one under the rain. It was unusual to see ice falling from the sky,” he said.
Videos and photos of the incident were also shared by residents on social media platforms, sparking discussions about the rare weather event.
Meteorological experts say the phenomenon described by residents is likely hail, a form of precipitation consisting of balls or irregular lumps of ice that fall from storm clouds.
Although hailstorms are more common in temperate regions, they can occasionally occur in tropical areas under certain atmospheric conditions.
As of the time of filing this report, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency had yet to issue an official statement regarding the reported hailstorm in Calabar.
Residents said the brief storm lasted only a few minutes but left many amazed at what they described as a rare experience in the ancient port city of Calabar.
