Summer in Siberia: Watch freak hailstorm interrupt sunbathers on Russian beach

Beachgoers run for cover as a surprise hailstorm strikes in Siberia. Credit: RTV

Siberia is known for its freezing winters but it also enjoys scorching summers, when temperatures can reach up to 40 degrees.

However, tourists enjoying the sunshine on a beach in Novosibirsk at the weekend were caught by surprise when a freak storm began pelting them with rock-sized hailstones.

Swimmers dart out of the water and run for cover during a hailstorm in Novosibirsk, Siberia. Credit: RTV

Footage posted on YouTube shows groups of tourists enjoying a day at the beach before slowly packing up as thundery clouds appear overhead.

The debris flying on the beach in Novosibirsk, Siberia, when a sudden storm sent sunbathers running. Credit: RTV

Moments later, the storm gathers pace and screams can be heard as panicked tourists run for shelter, frantically trying to grab their belongings as they leave the windy beach while huge hailstones rain down on them.

Watch a day at the beach take a sudden turn for the worse in Siberia: