GRAUPELS Meaning and
Definition
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Graupels (also spelled "graupel") refers to a type of precipitation that consists of small, soft, and spherical ice pellets that form when supercooled water droplets freeze onto a snowflake or ice pellet. It can also be described as a form of frozen precipitation that forms in cumulonimbus clouds during intense convective storms or thunderstorms.
Graupels are characterized by their irregular shape, often resembling small white balls or beads of ice. They typically have a diameter between 2 and 5 millimeters, although they can occasionally be smaller or larger. Unlike hailstones, graupels are not solid throughout, rather they have a porous structure due to the accumulation of frozen water droplets.
The formation of graupels requires a combination of supercooled water and the presence of ice nuclei, such as a snowflake or an ice pellet. As the supercooled water droplets come into contact with the ice nuclei, they freeze around it, gradually building up layers of ice. This results in the formation of a graupel particle that is composed of ice and water.
Graupels are often associated with intense convective storms, thunderstorms, or other atmospheric conditions that produce rapidly rising air currents. They tend to occur in regions with strong updrafts, where supercooled water droplets and ice particles can coexist. Graupels can accumulate on the ground, creating a soft ice cover that is often mistaken for hail. However, unlike hail, graupels are typically smaller and less dense.
Common Misspellings for GRAUPELS
- grappels
- grapls
- graupel
- graupal
- fraupels
- vraupels
- braupels
- hraupels
- yraupels
- traupels
- geaupels
- gdaupels
- gfaupels
- gtaupels
- g5aupels
- g4aupels
- grzupels
- grsupels
- grwupels
- grqupels
Etymology of GRAUPELS
The word "graupels" comes from the German word "Graupel", which means "hail pellets" or "soft hail". It is derived from the Middle High German word "gruppen", meaning "to cluster" or "to gather". Graupels are small ice pellets that form when supercooled droplets freeze onto snowflakes or ice crystals in thunderstorms.
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