Graupel Flurries

June 14, 2010

20100614 – Monday – Graupel Flurries
Photographer:
Stu Witmer 
Summary Author: Stu Witmer

On a recent visit to the Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge in Oregon’s High Desert, I ran into a good deal of snow mostly in the form of graupel flurries. Graupel is a form of snow in small, granular pellets. Graupel forms when ice crystallizes on a snowflake creating a coat of rime. Sometimes called soft hail graupel, unlike hail, falls apart when touched. Also unlike hail, graupel does not need a thunderstorm updraft to develop.

Photo Details: Main picture - Camera: Nikon E5700; Focal Length: 15.7mm; Aperture: f/8.0; Exposure Time: 1/626sec; ISO equiv: 200. Inset same except: Focal Length: 8.9mm; Aperture: f/5.6; Exposure Time: 1/329 sec.

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