Hail: Quick Facts

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The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

Nov. 11, 2026

News •

Golf ball-sized hail thwarts farmers anticipating bumper harvest • Nov. 5, 2026, 2:31 PM ET (ABC News (Australia))

'Zeus was angry:' Arizona surveys damage from at least 3 rare tornadoes • Oct. 22, 2026, 4:46 PM ET (AP)

Photos and Videos

Diagram showing a hail-producing thunderstorm with arrows illustrating cold downdrafts and warm updrafts, the pathway of hailstones within the cloud, and cross-sections of hailstone growth from a small spherical embryo to a large, layered hailstone.

Witness crop destruction by hail and examine a hailstone's interior under polarized light

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