Witness crop destruction by hail and examine a hailstone's interior under polarized light
Witness crop destruction by hail and examine a hailstone's interior under polarized light
Hailstorm sequence, crop damage, and how hail is collected and studied.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Transcript
NARRATOR: Thunderstorms are often accompanied by hail—accumulations of ice that sometimes descend with devastating force.
Hail is the most destructive form of precipitation; the damage caused by hail amounts to billions of dollars each year.
After a storm, meteorologists collect hailstones to investigate their internal structure. A hailstone that began as a minute ice crystal may grow to a diameter of more than 15 centimeters and weigh over half a kilogram. A thin section is cut from the center of a hailstone. Under polarized light a circular pattern is revealed—strong evidence that hail forms in layers.
Hail is the most destructive form of precipitation; the damage caused by hail amounts to billions of dollars each year.
After a storm, meteorologists collect hailstones to investigate their internal structure. A hailstone that began as a minute ice crystal may grow to a diameter of more than 15 centimeters and weigh over half a kilogram. A thin section is cut from the center of a hailstone. Under polarized light a circular pattern is revealed—strong evidence that hail forms in layers.