Rare ‘hail fog’ spotted after thunderstorms sweep through Puget Sound area

DUVALL, Wash. — A batch of thunderstorms that swept through the Puget Sound region on Sunday not only brought several rumbles of thunder and periodic downpours, but it coated some parts of Snohomish County in small hail.

Local storm chaser Benjamin Jurkovich with Washington Weather Chasers was out in the storms and not only found himself in the heart of the hail core at times, but later had a front row seat to a rare sight for severe-weather-starved Washington.

After the storm passed and the sun returned, the farm lands and grassy fields near Duvall took on a spooky, low-hanging fog.

“First time I’ve ever seen hail fog in Washington state!” Jurkovich exclaimed on his Facebook page.

Hail fog forms as the ice stones fall into warm air near the ground, according to the National Weather Service.

“As the hail accumulates on the ground, it cools the air just above the ground to the dew point, resulting in fog,” the NWS said. “The fog forms when winds are light, and it usually quite patchy and shallow.”

The hail wasn’t large enough to trigger any severe alerts — around here it needs to reach 1/4” in diameter before it reaches the criteria. But it was plenty to coat the ground and trigger the hail fog.

And then in the storm’s wake, another atmospheric surprise. This one’s a bit more common, but nonetheless still never ceases to amaze.