Strange spring ‘shower’ visits Thursday afternoon

A sudden, unwelcome and unexpected visitor graced a Michigan spring afternoon Thursday when torrents of sleet erupted for about 15 minutes. According to Mark Torregrossa, MLive weatherman, “Graupel looks like tiny snowballs, and is different from hail and sleet. Graupel forms when falling snowflakes collide with raindrops. The snowflakes get sticky and stick together in a clump of snowflakes. The falling motion rounds off the flakes, and makes a tiny, slightly bouncy snowball.” The graupel arrived in quick fashion and disappeared in almost the same manner. The brief weather event astonished observers and wreaked havoc on anyone who had the temerity to go on a walk.