Shillong: A severe hailstorm slammed into Shillong on November 11. It left the Meghalaya capital looking like a snow-swept hill station. The chaos started between 11 am and noon. Dark clouds rolled in before the heavy rain began. Then, the ice fell.
Hailstones buried roads, footpaths, and vehicle rooftops under a thick white layer. The sudden event caught locals and tourists off guard. Residents scrambled to pull out their phones to record the scene. The storm lasted nearly an hour. It brought a sharp chill to the air and transformed the city’s green spaces into white patches.
Witnesses compared the rare sight to snowfall in Kashmir. The city is usually known for its lush hills. This weather gave residents a "memorable glimpse of a Kashmir-like winter scene" right in the heart of the state. Once the storm passed, the white ice remained on the ground before eventually melting away.
Updated at 11th November 2026 at 10:00pm
Weather data puts the storm into perspective. The India Meteorological Department recorded 28.4 mm of rain in the city between 8.30 am and 2.30 pm that day. Nearby areas saw similar action, with Barapani getting 33 mm and Sohra logging 5.2 mm. Temperatures hovered between 12°C and 20.5°C.
Forecasters aren't letting their guard down yet. The local Meteorological Centre issued a warning for thunderstorms and lightning across Meghalaya, predicting gusty winds up to 50 kmph and more hail in isolated spots.
Updated at 12th November 2026 at 9:47am
The toll from the storm goes beyond the city streets. Farmers in Eastern West Khasi Hills and West Khasi Hills districts report damage to paddy fields and standing crops. The timing of the ice hit the agricultural season hard, causing significant losses for rural growers.
Weather experts blame a duo of upper air cyclonic circulations, one parked over central Assam and the other hovering near Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim. A trough stretching toward the northwest Bay of Bengal is feeding the instability. While forecasters expect these systems to lose steam, they warn of shallow to moderate fog settling into parts of the state over the coming days.
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