Known also as the snow pellets, the graupel particles are formed in special weather conditions, when in the same cloud coexist ice crystals and tiny particles of supercooled liquid water. Through the contact with the ice surface, the water solidifies, becoming part of it. The process continues over and over again, and the particles are increasing continuously as mass and volume, until precipitation is formed.
The image was created with a Nikon D60 camera and Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S DX lens, using these settings: focal length – 55 mm, exposure time – 1/40 sec, ISO 200, lens aperture – 5.6.