Severe weather often brings large and damaging hail to New Mexico. Here's what you need to know about the science behind hail.What is hail?Hail is precipitation that is made of solid ice that forms in thunderstorm updrafts. It is most common in severe thunderstorms. Download the app | Download the KOAT app for up-to-date severe weather alertsHail size can range from very small to the size of grapefruits. Large hail can damage homes, cars, and aircraft. Hail can also injure people and animals caught in a storm. How does hail form?Hailstones form when raindrops are carried upward into extremely cold areas of the atmosphere by the updraft of a thunderstorm. Once the storm takes that raindrop into the cold atmosphere, the raindrops then freeze. Hail stones form once liquid water drops begin attaching to the already frozen water. Hail continues to grow in size until the thunderstorm's updraft can no longer support the weight of the hailstone. The stronger the updraft wind is, the chances of larger hailstones increase. Interactive Radar | Track storms in your area with live, interactive radarHow large can hail get? Hailstones can range from a quarter of an inch to as large as four and half inches. Hail is often measured by comparing it to a commonly known object. When measuring hail, meteorologists say the best tools to use are rulers, tape measures or calipers. Here's a common list of objects hail is often compared to: Pea = 1/4 inch diameterMothball = 1/2 inch diameterPenny = 3/4 inch diameterNickel = 7/8 inchQuarter = 1 inch — hail quarter size or larger is considered severePing-Pong Ball = 1 1/2 inchGolf Ball = 1 3/4 inchesTennis Ball = 2 1/2 inchesBaseball = 2 3/4 inchesTeacup = 3 inchesSoftball = 4 inchesGrapefruit = 4 1/2 inchesDuring severe weather, the KOAT 7 Weather team is here to keep you informed and track severe weather as it develops. Be sure to download the KOAT app for the most up-to-date severe weather alerts and to track the storm with live, interactive radar.