Supercell classification of the 13 August 2021 Bulacan severe thunderstorm

Determine whether the hail-producing severe thunderstorm that affected Norzagaray and San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan, on 13 August 2021 was a supercell, by classifying its storm mode using appropriate observational evidence (e.g., radar or validated remote proxies).

Background

The case paper documents a significant hail event (“Friday the 13th Hailstorm”) in Bulacan, Philippines, with reported hail sizes up to ~8 cm. The authors analyze synoptic, mesoscale, and storm-evolution evidence using ERA5, HIMAWARI-8, and PLDN lightning data but lacked access to nearby radar observations, which are typically crucial for storm-mode classification.

Despite indicators such as overshooting tops and substantial cloud-layer shear, the authors cannot confirm whether the storm was a supercell. Establishing the storm mode would clarify the dynamical processes that enabled large hail formation and improve understanding of severe convection in this region.