graupel

noun

grau·​pel ˈgrau̇-pəl How to pronounce graupel (audio)
: granular snow pellets

called also soft hail

Did you know?

The word graupel is Germanic in origin; it is the diminutive of Graupe, meaning "pearl barley." According to etymologists, there does seem to be a grain of truth in the assumption that the word grew from the Slavic word krupa, which has the same meaning. Graupel was first seen in an 1889 weather report and has been whirling around in the meteorology field ever since to describe "pellets of snow" or "soft hail" (the latter phrase is an actual synonym of graupel).

Examples of graupel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Phoenix typically sees a lot of graupel in the wintertime, Whittock said. Laura Daniella Sepulveda, The Arizona Republic, 9 Jan. 2024 Perhaps even some pellets of graupel or snow grains mixing in. A. Camden Walker, Washington Post, 1 Dec. 2023 The embryos grow into soft ice pellets called graupel, says Sonia Lasher-Trapp, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 11 Aug. 2023 If the updrafts are strong enough and last long enough, the graupel can keep growing and become denser. Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 11 Aug. 2023 Another round of heavy showers will arrive by tonight, some of it turning into brief snow and graupel along the Oakland and Berkeley hills. Gerry Díaz, San Francisco Chronicle, 4 Mar. 2023 Yes, even homely, lonely graupel — the soft hail that coated parts of Interstate 8 last winter, making driving a white-knuckle affair. Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 July 2023 The heavier showers are likely to contain hail or graupel as cold air aloft and instability kick up stronger showers and possibly thunderstorms. oregonlive, 21 Mar. 2023 Residents across the Petaluma, Sonoma and Napa valleys will wake to to light showers this morning, with a mix of graupel and sleet possible in the highlands – including the Marin Headlands. Gerry Díaz, San Francisco Chronicle, 6 Mar. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'graupel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

German

First Known Use

1889, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of graupel was in 1889

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Dictionary Entries Near graupel

Cite this Entry

“Graupel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/graupel. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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