How Hail Forms

Hail consists of ice pieces that fall from thunderstorms or tall clouds. It varies in size and can mix with rain or fall alone. Hail forms when water droplets freeze in below-freezing air, often lifted by updrafts in thunderstorms. The longer hail stays in freezing air, the more it grows. Inside storms, winds can hold, juggle, or move hail, allowing it to clump and grow larger. Stronger updrafts lead to larger hail, which can be damaging. The largest recorded hail was nearly 2 pounds and 8 inches across, comparable to a grapefruit.

What are the different sizes in which hail can occur?

• Only small and medium

• Tiny, medium, or large

• Only large

• Only tiny

How do water droplets transform into hailstones?

• By evaporating in warm air

• By freezing in below-freezing air

• By condensing in humid air

• By melting in hot air

What role do updrafts play in hail formation?

• They lift water droplets to freeze

• They prevent hailstones from forming

• They cause hailstones to evaporate

• They melt the hailstones

What can cause hailstones to grow larger?

• High humidity

• Cold temperatures

• Strong upward winds

• Weak winds

What is the size of the largest recorded hailstone?

• The size of a grapefruit

• The size of a golf ball

• The size of a lemon

• The size of a baseball