What type of precipitation consists of ice pellets formed in thunderstorms? Hail is the answer. Hailstones are balls or irregular lumps of ice produced inside strong thunderstorm clouds, especially cumulonimbus clouds.
Powerful updrafts carry water droplets upward into freezing air. The droplets freeze, collect additional layers of water and ice, and grow until their weight exceeds the storm’s lifting force. They then fall to the ground, sometimes causing serious damage to crops, vehicles, roofs, and windows.
Hail is often confused with sleet, but the two form differently. Sleet, also called ice pellets in some regions, is usually small and translucent and forms when raindrops refreeze while falling through cold air. Graupel is softer, snow-like ice coated with rime. Hail can occur even when the ground is warm because it forms high inside a thunderstorm. The largest hailstones are associated with exceptionally strong updrafts.