Hail stones
 

Hi all, just a quick question that sprung to mind, I imagine one of our weather experts can sort out.We live in ACT and have just had a 'little storm', but with it being 26 degrees today, why has hailstorm fallen?
Could anyone help, or will I have to stay awake trying to work it out.
Many thanks in advance

Re: Hail stones
 

Because it might be 26 degrees at ground level but as you get higher the temperature drops, it's called the Adiabatic lapse rate:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adiabatic_lapse_rate

Imagine you are a raindrop in a storm cloud, the air is being sucked up by the storm to high altitudes often over 50,000. You begin to fall but get sucked up to the top of the storm, you turn to ice, begin to fall then get sucked up again. You become hail. Eventually you become too heavy even for the updraft of the storm to hold you and you fall.

Re: Hail stones
 

Yes what he said. :p

Also, the taller the storm clouds, the greater the rise and fall of the water droplets within the nimbus clouds, and the bigger they can become as they rise, freeze, fall, defrost a bit, rise again, freeze more, etc, and thats how you end up with golf ball size hailstones.

Re: Hail stones
 

Thanks all, I WILL sleep tonight, if the hailstones dont wake me that is!!! Cheers

Re: Hail stones
 

Like the google ads that came with this thread....:D Very appropriate!