Talk:Graupel

3 kinds of graupel?

This page seems to disagree substantially with the dictionary definition of graupel. Why? Matt Gies 18:39, 9 February 2006 (UTC)

I'm wondering the same thing. I've only heard the third definition when referring to graupel in weather books. Dictionaries tend to agree as well [1][2], as do weather glossaries from The Weather ChannelNational Snow and Ice Data Center, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). If there're no compelling reasons to keep the first two definitions, I'll delete them soon. Thanks. Ufwuct 21:34, 7 September 2006 (UTC)

Alright, I made the changes. I will now make this a redirect to Graupel (snow). Ufwuct 17:25, 12 September 2006 (UTC)

There are in fact three types of precipitation loosely called "graupel"

1. roundish white ice grains, produced by supercooled water droplets (this happens when there is freezing fog but also in the inner part of a cloud) which freeze around a snow crystal or flake: in French it is called Neige roulée (literaly "round snow"), in German Reifgraupel;
2. similar to 1. but with a slower freezing process which makes the grain translucid with an opaque core: in French it is called grésil, in German Frostgraupel;
3. sometimes even ice pellets are called graupel, but in this case the formation process is quite different: they are partially melted snowflakes that encounter an air layer below freezing point(0°C/32°F) while falling down. Since they are not completely melted, they can freeze again forming transparent grains of ice.

Carnby 11:54, 20 March 2007 (UTC)

Side note

It kicks like damp sand. That is, if you scuff/kick your shoe through it, it'll leave kindof a spray pattern. Not very scientific, i know, but it graupeled (?) here last winter-- that was the main thing i noticed about it, and when I asked a meteorology student here what on earth that had been, he knew exactly what it was when i described the spray pattern and the tiny ice balls. Cantras (talk) 17:30, 10 September 2008 (UTC)

Graupel/snow pellets vs small hail

The International Cloud Atlas by the World Meteorological Organization distinguishes between small hail and snow pellets, saying that small hail is an intermediate hydrometeor between a snow pellet and a hailstone; i.e. a snow pellet with an ice covering encapsulating it. We must also notice that the term Graupel is not well standardized in English meteorological language: it is used mostly for snow pellets, but in German it may indicate small hail (Frostgraupel), snow pellets (Reifgraupel) and sometimes even snow grains (Schneegriesel). I think Wikipedia should follow international standards (such as those by the WMO) and not national weather services or a single university in Texas.--Carnby (talk) 08:54, 22 February 2011 (UTC)

I agree on using international standards. What was missing from your edit was a reference to some authoritative source. Good job that you put it now. I've rephrased the paragraph to clarify it and make it more encyclopaedic. --Giuliopp (talk) 00:18, 23 February 2011 (UTC)

"Not to be confused with Hail or Ice pellets." - Unfortunately it is confused with hail and ice pellets and this such instruction is worthless and insulting. It is not acceptable to reject linguistic traditions because you know everybody else is wrong. The truth here is that there is a collection of common winter precipitation forms that have interchangeable names depending both on english dialect and local use. International standards are the correct basis for formal naming but is not a justification for calling in the Language Police. Please respect Linguistic Diversity.Sir smellybeard (talk) —Preceding undated comment added 13:56, 10 January 2012 (UTC).

Or maybe that "instruction from the Language Police" was an attempt to inform the reader that there are other articles about similar weather phenomena, as I would be led to believe by assuming good faith. Having said that, the hatnote in question is indeed not very appropriate and the references to those articles should probably go into the See also section. --Giuliopp (talk) 20:57, 10 January 2012 (UTC)

Much improved opening paragraph. Well phrased and informative. Sir smellybeard (talk)