ECUADOR HIT by MAJOR HAILSTORM — Quito Streets Buried in Ice! (Latest Updates)

A historic hailstorm buried parts of Quito, Ecuador, under thick layers of ice on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, flooding major avenues, trapping vehicles and disrupting public transportation. At an underpass on Atahualpa Avenue, hail and water reached depths of up to two and a half feet, forcing crews to remove around 12,000 cubic feet of ice. The storm struck the Ecuadorian capital after days of severe weather had already strained the city's drainage systems and transportation network. Firefighters responded to at least 18 emergencies, three tunnels and several underpasses were closed, and Quito's Metro service was partially suspended. A roof section also collapsed at the National Polytechnic School, although the mayor reported no injuries. Meteorologists point to intense daytime heating, atmospheric circulation patterns and unusually warm Pacific waters as factors contributing to the storm. Ecuador is also transitioning into its rainy season as El Niño conditions develop, raising concerns about continued heavy rain. In this video, we examine the historic hail accumulation in Quito, the disruption across the capital, the atmospheric conditions behind the storm, and the renewed risk of flooding and landslides through the holiday weekend. Global Weather covers natural disasters and extreme weather events as they develop, using sourced reporting and avoiding unsupported speculation. CHAPTERS 00:20 — Historic Hailstorm Buries Quito Under Ice 01:08 — Sunshine Gives Way to Severe Storms 01:58 — North-Central Quito Takes the Hardest Hit 02:46 — Hail Floods Shops at Colón and Almagro 03:35 — Atahualpa Underpass Buried in Two Feet of Ice 04:23 — Crews Remove 12,000 Cubic Feet of Hail 05:12 — Quito Metro Partially Shuts Down 06:02 — Cordonazo Storm Hits Quito Again 06:50 — Roof Collapse Raises Concerns at University 07:38 — Extreme Heat Helps Trigger the Hailstorm 08:25 — How Ice Builds Inside Powerful Storm Clouds 09:15 — Kelvin Wave Adds to Ecuador's Storm Conditions 10:02 — El Niño and Warm Pacific Waters Raise Rain Risk 10:51 — Quito Reopens Roads After Overnight Cleanup 11:41 — Heavy Rain and Landslide Threat Extend Through Sunday 12:31 — Quito Braces for More Dangerous Storms SOURCES Instituto Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología (INAMHI) El Comercio Primicias #Quito #QuitoEcuador #EcuadorWeather #QuitoHailstorm #Hailstorm #ExtremeWeather #EcuadorFlooding #HeavyRain #ElNino #LandslideRisk #Thunderstorm #FlashFlooding #Ecuador2026 #GlobalWeather