Graupel in Seattle

[mattp]

We just had a burst of thunder that was incredible. I told my wife that it might be something else -- did an airplane blow up or something? It rolled on in a way that I don't associate with thunder.

 

Five minutes later, we heard a humongous crash and the sky opens up. Our deck was covered with graupel in less than a minute.

 

Wow. I've never seen such a storm except in the mountains. And I grew up in tornado alley.

 

Smack. Bang. Graupel. No wind. No rain.