Graupel is a fascinating form of precipitation that often gets mistaken for snow or hail, but it's distinctly its own phenomenon. These soft, snow-like pellets form when snowflakes encounter supercooled water droplets in the atmosphere. These droplets, still in liquid form despite being below freezing, instantly freeze upon contact with the snowflake, creating a coating of ice. This process repeats as the snowflake tumbles through the air, accumulating layers of ice and forming a small, rounded pellet.