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Graupel

Weather
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Soft, pelletlike snow formed when ice crystals collect supercooled droplets.

Detailed Definition
Graupel consists of small, white pellets created when snow crystals become coated with frozen water droplets. Softer than hail and rounder than ordinary snowflakes, it may bounce lightly when it strikes the ground. In poetry, graupel offers a precise detail for depicting unstable spring or mountain weather, when snow and rain seem to mingle. Its unusual texture can make a scene feel immediate, tactile, and slightly strange.
Example
Example in poetry:
Graupel rattled on the roof like handfuls of tiny soft beads; A poet can distinguish graupel from hail by emphasizing its small, snow-coated pellets; The sudden graupel made the spring garden sound briefly armored; In a poem of uncertainty, graupel can represent weather that cannot decide whether it is rain, snow, or ice
Additional Notes
Graupel is soft, white snow pellets, sometimes called snow pellets. It differs from hail because it is smaller and more fragile.
Also Known As
Soft Hail Snow Pellets
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