Thunderstorm Dumps Hail on Merced

FRESNO, Calif. Lightning illuminated the night sky while wind gusts of nearly 50 miles an hour pushed stinging hail onto the city. The pea sized hail was so thick it looked like snow on the ground, but quickly melted.

Supermarket clerk Saul Valdez was caught in the storm while helping customers to their cars with groceries. He said "It was pretty crazy. One moment it started raining, then it was hailing. The wind made it worse, hitting my hands and neck, it hurt. It was kind of wicked."

No significant flooding or damage has been reported as a result of the downpour. The storm was the third in a series of weather events to blast the Central Valley this week.

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