Large Hail, Lightning, and Layups: Why Hail Grows When the Forecast Calls for Thunder
Learn about what causes lightning —and how that stormy energy could also mean big hailstones. And while we are talking about thunder, find out how you can win tickets to the first Thunder home playoffs game!
When you think of thunder, what first comes to mind? Is it the age-old saying ‘when it roars, go indoors?’ Maybe the booming drums in that Imagine Dragons song? Or perhaps it's the Oklahoma City Thunder - claiming title of most wins in the NBA this season. I bet you don’t think about hail when thunder and lightning start cracking—but more lightning, often means LARGER hailstones!
Why? It all starts with a strong updraft
When the rising air inside the storm is very powerful (we call this an "updraft"), it can lift water particles and ice crystals and keep them high up in the cloud.
How does hail form? Hailstones will grow inside a thunderstorm until they are too heavy for the updraft to sustain its weight. At that point, the hail will fall out of the storm and to the surface.
Strong updrafts often gives hail more time to grow as it collects extra layers of ice.
At the same time, all those tiny water droplets and ice crystals inside the cloud are crashing into each other. When they collide, they create electrical charges—some positive, some negative.
Positive charges rise to the top of the storm, while negative charges fall to the bottom.
Over time, the cloud gets so full of these charges that it has to release that energy. That’s when lightning happens!
So, when we see a lot of lightning, it usually means there’s a ton of ice and water moving around in the cloud—and that’s also a good sign that large hail is forming.
Thunder! Feel the (Oklahoma City) Thunder!
Just like a thunderstorm lights up the sky and produces news-worthy hailstones, the Oklahoma City Thunder have been electrifying the NBA with their stellar performance this season. With a remarkable 66-14 record, they've surpassed the franchise's previous best for regular-season wins and secured the number one seed for the playoffs in the Western Conference.
Chasing a title is like chasing a storm - all ingredients must come together for success! Leading the team is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA), a top contender for the 2025 MVP award. Reaching great heights, literally, at 7’1” and defensive asset - Chet Holmgren. And speaking of defense, Luguentz Dort is sure to get All-Defensive Team this year! These are just a few of the superstars the Thunder has to offer!
As the playoffs fast approach, the excitement surrounding the Thunder continues to build. HailTrace wants to share this Thunder enthusiasm with you! We are excited to announce a special playoff giveaway for the first game in OKC! The Thunder will be playing at Noon on Sunday, April 20th, 2025! All you have to do is click the button above AND subscribe to the blog to enter the contest. We will email you if you win! Don't forget to subscribe to the blog to be the first to know about new blogs and be entered to win Thunder Playoff tickets!
Don’t miss this electrifying chance to be part of the action—whether it’s hail or hoops, this is one storm you’ll want a front-row seat for!
You can find HailTrace's range of hail, wind, and tornado maps on our website, HailTrace.com.
To learn more about the wild weather across the US, check out our blog post on our Severe Weather Recap: The March 14th - 16th, 2025 Outbreak.