Large balls of ice can fall from the sky

Image: World of Phenomena

Ice is not normally associated with San Diego, but on the morning of February 27, 2018, areas including Carlsbad, Escondido, Ramona and El Cajon experienced a passing hailstorm. Hail starts as rain droplets that freeze at high altitudes. With the right conditions, these frozen rain droplets combine with other droplets and grow larger until the hail gets heavy enough to drop from the storm cloud.

How does hail stay suspended in the air? Is hail always the same size? Why or why not?

Resources:

Hail Storm Reports:Union-Tribune, 2/2018

World of Phenomena: Hailstorms

YouTube: eHowEducation - Hail

NASA Education: How does hail form?

Type
Phenomena
Subject
Earth and Space Science

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