Hail

Hail

Hail is a form of solid atmospheric precipitation. It is distinct from ice pellets, though the two are often confused. It consists of balls or irregular lumps of ice, each of which is called a hailstone. Ice pellets generally fall in cold weather, while hail growth is greatly inhibited during low surface temperatures. Unlike other forms of water ice precipitation, such as graupel, ice pellets, and snow, hailstones usually measure between 5 mm and 15 cm in diameter. The METAR reporting code for hail 5 mm or greater is GR, while smaller hailstones and graupel are coded GS. Hail is possible during most thunderstorms, as well as within 2 nmi of the parent storm. Hail formation requires environments of strong, upward motion of air within the parent thunderstorm and lowered heights of the freezing level. In the mid-latitudes, hail forms near the interiors of continents, while, in the tropics, it tends to be confined to high elevations.

Data Source : Wikipedia

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