Satellite imagery last night confirmed that the storm that wreaked havoc in Empangeni and surrounds late in the afternoon was the same system that brought much hail and severe weather to Howick in the Midlands earlier in the day.

This is according to the Severe Weather and Information Centre SA’s Facebook page whose meteorologist, Angelo Hoorn, said the storm grew significantly in size and intensity throughout the afternoon.

“At one stage, it grew two overshooting tops. Reports of the storm rotating suggest it may be a supercell thunderstorm of which the most intense part is currently just east of KZN,” Hoorn reported late last nioght.

An overshooting top (or penetrating top) is a dome-like protrusion shooting out of the top of the anvil of a thunderstorm and into the lower stratosphere. When an overshooting top is present for 10 minutes or longer, it is a strong indication that the storm is severe.

These weather systems are responsible for heavy downpours; large hail or large amounts of small hail; excessive lightning, and damaging winds.