How does hail form?
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Published: Jul. 10, 2018 at 1:08 PM EDT
Hail forms when thunderstorm updrafts are strong enough to carry water droplets well above the freezing level. This level can change based on time of year and location.
This freezing process forms a hailstone, which can grow as additional water freezes onto it. Eventually, the hailstone becomes too heavy for the updrafts to support it and it falls to the ground.