• Question: How do hailstones form without becoming rain, snow or sleet?

    Asked by Annie to Cat?, Helena, Iain, Gabriel on 17 Mar 2016.
    • Photo: Cat Scott ?

      Cat Scott ? answered on 17 Mar 2016:

      Hi Annie!

      Hail stones are special because they form when air is moving quickly upwards in a thunder cloud and reaches very, very low temperatures, we call them “supercooled” ? because this happens at temperatures below 0 degrees C

      Sleet is a more general name for mixtures of rain and ice, or snow that melts as it’s falling (so it’s not one particular thing)

    • Photo: Helena Quilter

      Helena Quilter answered on 17 Mar 2016:

      That’s supercool, Cat! (Hehehe)

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