Nature Cat
Summertime Hail
Clip: Season 3 Episode 2 | 3m 45sVideo has Closed Captions
Dog Gone sings a song about "hail".
After an unusual summer storm, Nature and his pals find snow on the ground. In the summer? How could this have happened? Radio D.J. Johnny Spins some weather knowledge on them. Turns out that snow is actually hailstones! What in the world is hail?
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Nature Cat
Summertime Hail
Clip: Season 3 Episode 2 | 3m 45sVideo has Closed Captions
After an unusual summer storm, Nature and his pals find snow on the ground. In the summer? How could this have happened? Radio D.J. Johnny Spins some weather knowledge on them. Turns out that snow is actually hailstones! What in the world is hail?
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
How to Watch Nature Cat
Nature Cat is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.
Hal: I'm sorry.
Who, me?
Johnny Spins: That's right, hail!
Hal: Wait.
Hal?
Did you say, Hal?
Johnny Spins: A whole lotta hail Hal.
Hal: A Hal lotta Hal?
Is that what you meant to say?
Daisy: That's what this stuff must be!
Hail!
I've heard of hail but I've never seen it up close before!
Man-oh-man, this is so cool!
Johnny Spins: Hey, we have a caller!
Caller, you're on the air!
Hal: Hi, I'm Hal, first-time caller, longtime listener.
Great show.
Look, anyway, are you talking to me?
Because if so, you're saying my name wrong.
I am Hal, pretty short.
Hal, not "hail" there's a "I" in there I think.
Johnny Spins: Oh, sorry, but I'm not talkin' "Hal," I'm talkin' hail!
All those little balls of ice that fell during the thunderstorm!
Are you seeing hail where you are?
Hal: Oh!
You mean those cold little bouncy rocks?
You try to make a snowman with them it looks real weird?
Johnny Spins: Those are hailstones!
Did you notice this storm was stronger than usual, and that the clouds were very, very tall?
Daisy: Hey!
That's right, those storm clouds were taller than usual!
That's what was different about this storm!
Squeeks: But what made the hail fall?
And why does it have those rings inside?
Nature Cat: And why did it ruin my Summer Fest?
Hal: First of all I'd like to give a shout out to Mr. Chewinsky.
And can I make a request, Johnny Spin?
I'd like to hear a song about hail that answers all of our questions.
Johnny Spins: You got it!
And here's a great summertime hail jam by Dog Gone!
Dedicated to you, Hal!
Dog Gone: ♪ In a summertime storm cloud upward winds ♪ ♪ Blow that cloud so tall and high.
♪ ♪ At the top of the cloud ♪ ♪ it's extra-freezing ♪ ♪ and that's where little ice crystals fly.
♪ ♪ The ice slams into super-cold water drops ♪ ♪ In that extra-chilly zone ♪ ♪ They freeze together at the top of the cloud ♪ ♪ And that's what makes a hailstone ♪ ♪ To the top of the cloud Where the air is colder ♪ ♪ At the top of the cloud ♪ ♪ There's more super-cool water ♪ ♪ At the top of the cloud It freezes together ♪ ♪ At the top of the cloud, then the hail gets bigger ♪ ♪ In a summertime storm cloud all that wind ♪ ♪ Keeps the hail blowing up and down ♪ ♪ But as the hail gets heavier in that cloud ♪ ♪ The wind can't keep it from falling to the ground ♪ ♪ 'Cause with every trip up to the top ♪ ♪ Of that extra-chilly zone.
♪ ♪ Those drops of water freeze into another icy layer ♪ ♪ on that hailstone.
Yeah!
♪ ♪ To the top of the cloud ♪ ♪ Where the air is colder.
At the top of the cloud ♪ ♪ There's more super-cool water.
♪ ♪ At the top of the cloud, ♪ ♪ it freezes together.
At the top of the cloud.
♪ ♪ Then the hail gets bigger.
♪ ♪ If the wind can't blow it back up and around ♪ ♪ The hail falls down to the ground, yeah!
♪ ♪ If the wind can't blow it back up and around ♪ ♪ The hail falls down to the ground.
Yeah!
♪ ♪ From that super tall summertime storm cloud.
♪ ♪ Hail storms!
♪ Johnny Spins: Did that answer all your questions?
Daisy: Sure did, Johnny Spins!
I think I got it!
So because the storm cloud grows so high in the sky, where the temperatures are really, really cold, you may see ice balls fall from the sky... even though it's hot down here on the ground.
Woah.
Johnny Spins: That's right, Hal's friend!
Squeeks: I see.
I see.
And the more the hailstone travels up and down in the cloud, the more ice layers it gets, so it grows bigger and heavier, right?
Johnny Spins: You got it, Hal's other friend!
Nature Cat: Ah-ha!
And when the wind isn't strong enough to keep blowing that bigger, heavier hailstone back up to the top anymore, it falls out of the cloud and down to the ground.
Squeeks: So that's why hailstones are different sizes!
Some stay in the cloud longer than others!
(Gasps) This blows my mind, man.
Hal: Thanks for the catchy and educational song, Johnny Spins!
Johnny Spins: You're welcome!
Thanks for calling in!
And now, back to some summertime tunes!
Support for PBS provided by: