#graupel

Up in the sky ... It's snow, it's hail, it's ... graupel!

How did I get this far along in life without knowing there is a name for the styrofoam-like beads that pelted me as I split firewood Monday morning?

I have my own name for them - especially when they pelt my face four days into spring - but that one is more scatological than meteorological.

The official name, believe it or not, is "graupel." The dictionary definition: "graupel - a type of soft, white, opaque precipitation formed when supercooled water droplets freeze onto falling snowflakes, creating small, fragile pellets ..." Yep, that's it.

stole @newkiller-pixie idea of collar under band merch and I did feel very cutie while dancing at the metalcore show =)

The mountains of Utah had a lot more snow on them this year...if you could call it snow.

Half of what fell was something called “graupel” which is what happens when snow gets more ice freezing on it as it falls. You can see it up close in the forth photo. It basically looks like dipping dots! When it falls, it hits and bounces off of you like sand grains, but when you step in it, it squishes under your foot like snow. I’ve never experienced anything quite like it before.