Why is there hail?
Hail happens when raindrops freeze into ice balls high up in storm clouds.
Pip’s answer
- Hail happens when raindrops freeze into ice balls high up in storm clouds.
- Strong wind inside the cloud pushes the ice up and down, again and again.
- Each trip adds a new layer of ice, so the hailstone grows bigger.
- When it gets too heavy, down it falls, bouncing like little marbles! Plink!
For grown-ups
Hail forms inside strong thunderstorms with powerful updrafts. Raindrops are carried high into freezing air, where they freeze. They fall, get coated with more water, and are carried up again, adding layers like an onion. When they're too heavy for the updraft, they fall as hailstones.
Ask your child: If you cut a hailstone in half, what would you see?
More questions kids ask
- 🌨️Why does it snow?
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- ⚡Why is there thunder?
- 🌤️Why is the sky blue?
- 🌅Why are sunsets orange?
- 🌈Why are there rainbows?
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