Hail is precipitation in the form of ice pellets. In what type of clouds does hail primarily form?

Hail primarily forms in cumulonimbus clouds, which are large, towering clouds associated with thunderstorms. These clouds have strong updrafts that can lift moisture high into the atmosphere where temperatures are below freezing. As water droplets are carried upward, they freeze into ice pellets. The strong updrafts can cycle these pellets through the cloud multiple times, allowing them to accumulate layers of ice until they become too heavy, at which point they fall to the ground as hail.

Cumulonimbus clouds are characterized by their vertical development and are often associated with severe weather, including thunderstorms and tornadoes. The intense weather conditions within these clouds provide the necessary environment for the formation of hail, which requires significant vertical motion to grow larger.

In contrast, the other types of clouds mentioned—stratus, cirrus, and stratocumulus—do not have the same vertical development or the strong updrafts required for hail formation. Stratus clouds are typically low-level clouds that produce steady, light rain rather than severe weather. Cirrus clouds are high-altitude, wispy clouds that are generally associated with fair weather. Stratocumulus clouds are low and lumpy, often indicating overcast conditions, but they lack the dynamic processes necessary for hail to form