What is the minimum altitude range for hail formation during thunderstorms?

Hail formation occurs within a specific altitude range during thunderstorms, primarily due to the necessary conditions of strong updrafts and freezing temperatures. The correct range for hail formation is from the surface up to approximately 10,000 to 15,000 feet. This altitude range allows for the presence of sufficient moisture and the required temperature gradients.

In thunderstorms, powerful updrafts can carry moisture-laden air upward into colder regions of the atmosphere where temperatures are near or below freezing. Within this layer, the formation of ice particles takes place, which can grow larger with repeated cycles of being pushed upward and eventually falling back down into the warmer layers, accumulating additional water, and then refreezing.

Compared to the other options, the range from the surface to 10,000 to 15,000 feet accurately encapsulates where the right atmospheric conditions are found. Altitudes up to 5,000 feet are generally too low for significant hail formation, while suggesting a range solely above 15,000 feet does not account for the vital role that lower atmospheric layers play in this process.