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Name: Taylor
Status: student
Age: 15
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: 2000-2001
Question:
I was curious as to the speed of hail. Can you tell me the average speed of hail when it is about the size of a golf ball?

Replies:
Taylor,

This took some calculating, which I won't bore you with. I calculated the terminal fall velocity of an ice sphere the size of a golf ball (1.68 inch diameter); it is 1626.5 cm per second (234.7 miles per hour). This is assuming that the hail is a perfect sphere, which it rarely is. Normally hail is gouged out on the top and enlarged on the bottom. More rime collects on the bottom than the top as the hail falls.

David Cook
meteorologist at Argonne Nat. Lab.

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