Hail Formation and Updrafts Flashcard

Front

What is hail?

Back

Hail is a type of precipitation that consists of balls or irregular lumps of ice, formed in thunderstorms with strong updrafts.

Front

How do hailstones develop layers?

Back

Hailstones develop layers by colliding with supercooled water droplets that freeze immediately.

Front

What is a supercooled water droplet?

Back

A supercooled water droplet is a liquid water droplet that remains in liquid form even below the freezing point.

Front

What is the size in cm for a dime-sized hailstone?

Back

1.8 cm.

Front

What is the size in cm of a softball-sized hailstone?

Back

11.4 cm.

Front

What is an updraft?

Back

An updraft is a current of rising air that can carry water droplets upward in a thunderstorm.

Front

Which size of hailstone requires the highest updraft speed?

Back

Softball-sized hailstones require the highest updraft speed.

Front

What is the updraft speed in km/h for a baseball-sized hailstone?

Back

130 km/h.

Front

What is the relationship between updraft speed and hailstone size?

Back

Larger hailstones require higher updraft speeds to form and remain suspended in the storm.

Front

What happens to hailstones as they are carried upward in a storm?

Back

They can collide with supercooled water droplets, gaining layers of ice.