[Geysers] Thermal Basin-Induced Weather?

[Meg Justus]

I don't know if the steam does affect it in Yellowstone, but here in western Washington state, highly localized graupel happens every once in a while, esp. in the springtime.  From what I understand about the phenomenon here at least, it's got more to do with varied topography than anything else.

Meg Justus

  Around 6pm, while driving past Midway Geyser Basin, I was astonished to see significant accumulation of hail/graupel along the roadway.  The slopes around the Midway parking area still had an inch+ of the stuff on the ground.  The area of hail deposit was so small and highly concentrated at Midway (perhaps only within 100 yards North or South of the parking area) that I wondered if significant amounts of steam (natural or man-made) have been known to affect the type of precipitation that falls on an area.  Or was it just happenstance that the hail only fell there?  Any thoughts?
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