Graupel (/ ˈ ɡ r aʊ p əl /; German: [ˈɡʁaʊpl̩] ⓘ), also called soft hail or hominy snow or granular snow or snow pellets, [1] is precipitation that forms when supercooled water droplets in air are collected and freeze on falling snowflakes, forming 2–5 mm (0.08–0.20 in) …

Feb 27, 2024 · Hail consists of hard, solid balls of ice that form in strong thunderstorm updrafts, growing as they ascend and descend repeatedly, collecting layers of ice. Graupel is softer and forms when snowflakes collect and freeze supercooled water droplets, resulting in …

Graupel is also called snow pellets or soft hail, as the graupel particles are particularly fragile and generally disintegrate when handled. Sleet are small ice particles that form from the freezing of liquid water drops, such as raindrops.

Oct 15, 2024 · The meaning of SOFT HAIL is graupel.

Feb 14, 2025 · Hail forms from updrafts in thunderstorms, creating balls of ice that damage crops and property, exploring what is hail and its causes, effects, and types, including pea-sized, golf ball-sized, and large hailstones. ... Graupel is a type of soft, small hail that forms when supercooled water droplets are forced upward into a layer of cold air ...

The first is soft hail, or snow pellets, which are white opaque rounded or conical pellets as large as 6 mm (0.2 inch) in diameter. They are composed of small cloud droplets frozen together, have a low density, and are readily crushed.

Jan 31, 2018 · Although it sounds more like a German dish than a weather event, graupel is a type of winter precipitation that's a mix of snow and hail. Graupel is also known as snow pellets, soft hail, small hail, tapioca snow, rimed snow, and ice balls.

Feb 4, 2024 · Hail is a type of solid precipitation that forms during thunderstorms. It consists of balls or irregular lumps of ice, known as hailstones. Unlike snow and sleet, hail is most common in the warmer months when strong thunderstorms are more frequent. How Does Hail Form?

May 21, 2024 · This type of snow is known as graupel, also called soft hail by meteorologists. While graupel has the appearance of white snow pellets, its formation is closer to that of hailstones. Winter storm clouds often contain water droplets which have cooled far below 32 degrees Fahrenheit or 0 degrees Celsius without turning to ice.

Mar 25, 2013 · Graupel is often referred to also as a soft hail, snow grains or snow pellets. It forms when you have some warmer air at the surface and very cold air aloft. Usually you get this when we have strong upper level lows and just chilly enough air at the surface to allow the graupel to reach the ground.