JACKSON, Wyo. — Anyone notice the small, round bits of snow on their car or on the ground Monday morning? The pellets of frozen water fall somewhere between snow, sleet and hail.

Graupel on the ground, seen Monday morning. Photo: Marianne Zumberge // Buckrail

The National Weather Service (NWS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration break down how graupel is formed.

According to NWS, the precipitation forms when supercooled water droplets coat a snowflake crystal. The intensity of this process, known as “riming,” can influence the size of the pellet.

“Graupel occurs when there is a lot of wind circulation in the cloud (unstable rising air) that causes the snowflake to travel through portions of the cloud with supercooled water droplets,” the NWS said in an online weather presentation.

Graupel forms in a similar way as hail, but will typically remain less than 5 millimeters in diameter. It can look like Styrofoam or Dippin’ Dots. Graupel particles are very fragile and generally disintegrate when handled.

Monica is a Staff Reporter who studied journalism at Syracuse University and has been in the valley since 2015. She loves writing about the local food and bev scene, especially craft beer. When she’s not on the clock, you can find her paddle boarding, sewing, or whipping up a new recipe at home.