Colorado Summer Hailstorm

This is a clip of a hail storm that happened during the summer of 2007 in Boulder, Colorado. The hail storm caused steam to form in some parts, and completely covers the ground in ice, despite it occurring in the summer. During the early summer, surface temperatures are warm enough to promote the instability associated with strong thunderstorms. However, the upper atmosphere is still cool enough to support ice. So hail storms during the summer aren't necessarily an unusual occurence. In tropical regions, hail is less common (despite the higher frequency of thunderstorms) because the atmosphere over the tropics are usually warmer. Also, the humidity of tropical air prevents evaporational cooling. For more information on weather systems, as well as weather forecasts and weather reports, visit MyWeatherLive.com.