A storm accompanied by hail and small stones hit the crops of the Lleida plain on Monday afternoon. The meteorological phenomenon directly affected fruit trees in full development phase.
The Terres de Ponent Plant Defense Association registered impacts in seven municipalities in three different counties. Technicians identified damage in Albesa, Algerri, and Castelló de Farfanya, within La Noguera. There was also an impact in Juneda and La Floresta, in Les Garrigues, as well as in Gimenells and Alguaire, in El Segrià.
Hail reached almost one centimeter in Castelló de Farfanya
The diameter of the hailstone ranged between 0.5 and 0.7 centimeters in most of the affected areas. The measurements were more severe in Castelló de Farfanya, where the hailstones reached almost one centimeter in size. This intensity caused visible injuries to fruits such as apples and nectarines, which are in critical stages of growth.
This is the second episode with the presence of hail documented in the study area during this agricultural campaign. The previous one occurred on April 19 in Raimat, where the hailstones measured approximately 1.1 centimeters.
"Climate change favors more virulent hailstorms, with larger hailstones that cause more damage to crops." - Associació de Defensa Vegetal Terres de Ponent
The entity began on April 15 the 27th hail monitoring and study campaign. This monitoring program will extend until October 15 to collect precise data on the evolution of these extreme phenomena.
The monitoring network has 172 rain gauges
The ADV has 172 hail meters distributed throughout the Lleida plain. These instruments allow for the accurate quantification of the frequency and intensity of hailstorms. The information gathered is used to analyze the trend of increasing hailstone size and its economic impact on local agriculture.