What the heck is graupel? It's a meteorological term for small and crunchy pellets of ice, sort of a cross between snow and hail (you might call it 'snail'). Yeah, it's a wacky-sounding name, but then the Chicago area is known for wacky weather. On April 7, we basked in a high temperature of 80°. On April 8, we reached 74°. On April 9, the thermometer plummeted and we were pounded by a brief but fierce graupel squall. (No sound.)