Thundersnow is a rare type of thunderstorm where snow becomes the primary precipitation instead of rain because of the cold weather. The Scottish capital was subject to the weather event on Friday morning and once again in the early hours of the weekend.
Edinburgh residents were woken by the shattering claps of thundersnow in the early hours of Saturday – for the second night in a row.
Across the city, thundersnow could be heard from after 1am as a series of loud cracks.
Spooked locals contacted the police after confusing the weather phenomenon with explosions and others took to social media.
Residents took videos of the lightning crashing across the sky in the second night where the city was subject to the chaotic weather event.
The event was followed by heavy rain and hail, causing the already high water levels to rise across the city.
According to the Met Office, described the event as thunder during cold weather. If it is cold enough, instead of rain, the thunderstorm produces snow.
Saturday night witnessed the lowest temperatures of autumn/winter of 2020, with -9.6C (14.72F) recorded at Altnaharra, Sutherland, in the Scottish Highlands, the Met Office said.
Other parts of the UK were met with snowfall on Saturday morning – and forecasters warn that further cold weather is on its way.
Edinburgh City Council said roads and flood prevention teams will be working throughout the weekend because of the heavy rain.
Sourse: sputniknews.com
