When it comes to thunderstorm damage we typically associate that with strong winds or tornadoes. However, hail is also a significant threat within a thunderstorm. Hail begins to form first, with a strong updraft. An updraft is warm humid air moving up inside of a cloud. This updraft is moving supercooled water droplets, which are tiny pieces of ice, up into the cloud. Once these supercool water droplets cross the freezing mark, the area that is 32 degrees or colder within the cloud, hail stones begin to form. Water and ice stick together and add on layer by layer, hence why hail stones are not perfectly round circles, instead, they are more jagged. Stronger updrafts can support and hold up heavier hail, allowing them to grow larger and larger within the cloud. Once the hailstone becomes too heavy, it falls out of the cloud and onto the ground where it can cause damage to cars and houses.
WDRB Weather explainer blog- Thunderstorms, damage and high winds
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