Tom Swann is one of several Canberra Times readers to send in photos of the impact of Monday's hailstorm.
The Australia Institute senior climate researcher works in Manuka, which was one of the areas hit particularly hard.
"It feels pretty surreal. Canberra's gone from apocalyptic bushfire smoke and the worst air quality in the world, to a torrent of golf ball sized hail stripping the leaves from trees and knocking birds out of the sky," he said.
Fast-moving thunderstorms have brought heavy rain with golf-ball-sized hail stones lashing the ACT.
Widespread damage from the first wave of storms has been reported across Canberra, but appears to be particularly concentrated in the Belconnen suburbs, city and inner south.
It's the latest in Canberra's bizarre summer after the city was enveloped for weeks in thick bushfire smoke that had only just cleared.
The relatively brief, but ferocious storm swept into the ACT at lunchtime, moving from the north-west to the south-east.
Wind gusts of up to 116km/h were recorded at Canberra airport, and there were reports of 4-5cm hail stones.
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'We copped it': motorists, homeowners count cost of wild hailstorm
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Frances had her new car for two hours before it was damaged by hail
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Belco right now. #Canberra#stormpic.twitter.com/aRMZcIl4Ry
— Richard Norman (@duckbytheoboe) January 20, 2020
SHELTER IN PLACE HAIL EVENT. ANU staff and students should shelter in place if it is safe to do so, & follow instructions of their Wardens. There may be more storm fronts on the way so travelling at this stage is not advised. pic.twitter.com/vnPXXyzgVJ
— ANU Media (@ANUmedia) January 20, 2020
Huge hail stones hitting across Canberra pic.twitter.com/YzTQVTRSXg
— Andrew Brown (@AndrewBrownAU) January 20, 2020
Hail at Dairy Rd, Fyshwick courtesy of Cid from Global Worming. @canberratimespic.twitter.com/lWYukarExU
— Tim the Yowie Man (@TimYowie) January 20, 2020
— Tom Swann (@Tom_Swann) January 20, 2020
TFW your balcony starts to flood because the hail is so thick it blocks the drain. #Canberrapic.twitter.com/ithoaNhX5F
— Tara Cheyne MLA (@In_The_Taratory) January 20, 2020
Whole streets covered by hail the size of golf balls in Griffith @canberratimespic.twitter.com/h9Vc2DRFRd
— Andrew Brown (@AndrewBrownAU) January 20, 2020
#Canberrapic.twitter.com/G19FQiqnRM
— Dan Jervis-Bardy (@D_JervisBardy) January 20, 2020
This is the hail at Parliament House. Unreal. @canberratimespic.twitter.com/eEWfsY7pPZ
— Sally Whyte (@sallywhyte) January 20, 2020
