graupel
Icy snow pellets
Graupel is a form of precipitation—soft, small pellets of ice that form when supercooled water droplets freeze onto snowflakes.
The result is opaque, granular balls that bounce when they hit the ground, unlike snow, which compresses.
Graupel typically falls during cold-weather thunderstorms or transitional conditions: The forecast calls for graupel mixed with sleet.
Matching end sounds
- supercoolingLiquid chilled below freezing
- nucleationInitial cluster formation
- accretionGrowth through external addition
- coalescenceUniting into one mass
ice · pellets · condensation · rime · freezing · crystals · vapor · sublimation
Yielding to touch
- pelletsSmall compressed spheres
- crumblyProne to fragmenting
- friableReadily reduced to fragments
- opaqueImpassable to light
porous · granular · conical · spherical · rounded · white · lightweight · compressible
Partly frozen precipitation
- hailIcy precipitation pellets
- flurriesBrief, light precipitation
- snowstormHeavy winter precipitation event
- blizzardViolent prolonged snowstorm
squall · shower · wintry mix · freezing rain · snowfall · precipitation · hailstones · cloudburst
Tall natural landmass
- skiingSnow sport on runners
- snowpackAccumulated mountain winter layers
- avalancheRapid mountain snow collapse
- backcountrySparsely populated wilderness areas
summit · slope · glacier · snowfield · altitude · tundra · snowshoe · mountaineering
Gaseous layer around planets
- cloudsAirborne water masses
- cumulonimbusTowering storm-producing cloud
- updraftUpward air movement
- convectionHeat transfer via motion
temperature · humidity · forecast · observation · weather station · measurement · classification · thunderstorm
riming
Matching end sounds
- supercoolingLiquid chilled below freezing
- nucleationInitial cluster formation
- accretionGrowth through external addition
coalescence · ice · pellets · condensation · rime · freezing · crystals · vapor · sublimation · hydrometeor
soft
Yielding to touch
opaque · porous · granular · conical · spherical · rounded · white · lightweight · compressible · squishy
sleet
Partly frozen precipitation
- hailIcy precipitation pellets
- flurriesBrief, light precipitation
- snowstormHeavy winter precipitation event
blizzard · squall · shower · wintry mix · freezing rain · snowfall · precipitation · hailstones · cloudburst · downpour
mountain
Tall natural landmass
- skiingSnow sport on runners
- snowpackAccumulated mountain winter layers
- avalancheRapid mountain snow collapse
backcountry · summit · slope · glacier · snowfield · altitude · tundra · snowshoe · mountaineering · terrain
atmosphere
Gaseous layer around planets
- cloudsAirborne water masses
- cumulonimbusTowering storm-producing cloud
- updraftUpward air movement
convection · temperature · humidity · forecast · observation · weather station · measurement · classification · thunderstorm · instability