Blink and you'd have missed it, but a heavy hailstorm has turned Bournemouth roads white for the first time this winter.

A short but intense hailstorm fell over areas including Canford Heath, Wallisdown and Kinson yesterday. It then became sleet and, very shortly after reaching Castlepoint, it turned to rain.

Bournemouth Echo:

The rainfall radar at 12pm today.

Cars travelling along Wallisdown Road shortly before midday had to reduce their speed as thick hail coated the roads and made driving conditions challenging for a brief time.

By midday, the storm had eased off and bright sunshine soon melted away the hail and sleet.

A spokesperson for the Met Office described the hailstorm as a “very intense little burst”, which came in from the west and intensified as it reached the south. They added they had received a number of reports of a “heavy mixture of sleet and hail” in the area.

Paula Rolls, from Wallisdown, was shopping in Dunelm at Drewitt Industrial Estate when the hailstorm started.

She said: “It was really loud as it hit the roof when it was hurling it down. 
“We stayed inside until it eased off. When I looked outside, the car park was solid white with what looked to be an inch of sleet or snow.

“Nobody in the shop could believe what had happened in such a short space of time,” she added.

Later in the afternoon, at around 4pm, a further hailstorm fell in the Bournemouth area.

Rain is forecast for early evening, but with an ice and possible snow warning in place for tonight and tomorrow morning. 

It says: "Rain or sleet is likely to fall onto frozen ground to bring a risk of ice on untreated surfaces on Saturday morning.

"In addition, some transient snow is possible, mainly above 200 metres where 1cm may settle for a time very locally.

"Please be aware of the potential for difficult driving conditions and slippery surfaces."