Talk:Graupel

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[edit] 3 kinds of graupel?

This page seems to disagree substantially with the dictionary definition of graupel. Why? Matt Gies 18:39, 9 February 2006 (UTC)

I'm wondering the same thing. I've only heard the third definition when referring to graupel in weather books. Dictionaries tend to agree as well [1][2], as do weather glossaries from The Weather Channel National Snow and Ice Data Center, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). If there're no compelling reasons to keep the first two definitions, I'll delete them soon. Thanks. Ufwuct 21:34, 7 September 2006 (UTC)

Alright, I made the changes. I will now make this a redirect to Graupel (snow). Ufwuct 17:25, 12 September 2006 (UTC)

There are in fact three types of precipitation loosely called "graupel"

roundish white ice grains, produced by supercooled water droplets (this happens when there is freezing fog but also in the inner part of a cloud) which freeze around a snow crystal or flake: in French it is called Neige roulée (literaly "round snow"), in German Reifgraupel;
similar to 1. but with a slower freezing process which makes the grain translucid with an opaque core: in French it is called grésil, in German Frostgraupel;
sometimes even ice pellets are called graupel, but in this case the formation process is quite different: they are partially melted snowflakes that encounter an air layer below freezing point(0°C/32°F) while falling down. Since they are not completely melted, they can freeze again forming transparent grains of ice.

Carnby 11:54, 20 March 2007 (UTC)