I was on a train which just caught the trailing edge of a violent hailstorm which trashed parts of Vaud and canton Fribourg yesterday. The sky went black, then hailstones - chunks of ice as big as ping pong balls started falling out of the sky. Reading the local press the hail shredded vineyards, apple orchards and maize fields. Car windscreens were broken and the bodywork of vehicles were so badly pitted they looked like the surface of a golf ball. Roof tiles and windows of buildings were also smashed. Rolle, Aubonne, Morges and Romont were particularly badly hit. In a matter of minutes they reckon they lost over 50% of the grape production in affected areas of La Côte. They can't even estimate the cost yet.

What time was that at? I saw some fairly nasty looking clouds rolling in across the lake yesterday afternoon around 14.00/14.30...

A bit later than that. Around half past three.

As I mentioned on the weather thread, we were returning from Bern on the motorway. It hit us about 3.45 and I have never experienced anything like it. The force of the hailstones was so severe that everyone pulled over and then unbelievable rain . First I thought a large rock had hit the car - it was really scary

It seems to be a rather nasty storm, there are dramatic pictures on 20min.ch: http://www.20min.ch/news/bern/story/...teuer-12643354

Didn't experience any hail here but there was a terrific thunderstorm that lasted for well over an hour yesterday later afternoon.

We had a severe hail storm in July, 2005 which went from montreux almost to Lausanne. About 15,000 cars were damaged and the insurance companies set-up special centres to deal with all the claims.
Our garden was wrecked. The hail shredded our sunshades and punched holes right through our garden chairs.

So what? They simply raise the price once their wine arrives on the market. And if this does not suffice, they ask for more subsidies in Berne. You may not like to here it, but this is an only too well know game of the Welsh winegrowers.

Then again, grail stones big as pingpong balls are definitely scary. 'hope you all made it back home safely.

You'd think so wouldn't you but I asked my neighbour who owns the vineyard behind my house. He says even regular hail can do a lot of damage so they insure against the risk and the insurance companies foot the bill. I remember three years ago that a hail storm shredded the vines in Dézaley and last year a similar thing happened near Aigle.

Some pretty dramatic pictures there. Hope this cat is OK now. It looks like it may have used up some of it nine lives.

I'm personally partial to dogs, but I can't help feel for a kitty so traumatized by that kind of weather.

We had hail a bit smaller south of Bern, perhaps about 2-3 cm in diameter. I have some lovely dents in the blinds, and we had hail everyhere. Our pup is usually not bothered by storms, but she sat on the bed right next to me in all the racket.