Hailstones grow in rings like trees before they fall
Science
Suspended in 100-mile-per-hour winds, these icy stones act as atmospheric time capsules, recording every plunge and surge through the clouds in layers of frozen water.
A hailstone begins its life as a tiny grain of ice called graupel, but it only becomes a projectile when caught in a massive updraft. Within these storms, wind speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour keep the stone aloft for up to ten minutes, forcing it to collide with millions of supercooled water droplets. Each collision adds a new layer, much like the growth rings of an oak tree.