How are hail stones created?

Hailstones are created in severe thunderstorms, where strong updrafts of warm, moist air carry water droplets high into the atmosphere, where temperatures are below freezing. As these water droplets rise, they freeze into ice particles.

As the ice particles continue to move up and down within the thunderstorm, they accumulate more moisture and grow in size. Eventually, the ice particles become too heavy for the updrafts to keep them aloft and they begin to fall towards the ground.

As they fall through the storm, they may encounter areas with varying temperatures and moisture levels, causing them to melt and refreeze, which can create layered structures within the hailstone.

The size of hailstones can vary widely, depending on the strength of the storm and the amount of time that the ice particles spend growing within it. Some hailstones can be as small as a pea, while others can be as large as a grapefruit or even a softball.