Where is hail most likely to be encountered in relation to a cumulonimbus cloud?

Hail is most likely to be encountered beneath the anvil cloud of a large cumulonimbus. This association is due to the storm's structure and the dynamics of hail formation.

In cumulonimbus clouds, strong updrafts carry moisture-laden air upwards into the colder regions of the atmosphere, where it can freeze and eventually form hailstones. These hailstones can grow larger as they are repeatedly lifted by the updrafts and carried in the cloud before they eventually become too heavy and fall. The anvil cloud, which typically extends horizontally from the top of the cumulonimbus, represents a key area associated with severe weather phenomena, including hail generation.

As hailstones begin to fall, they are often found just below the anvil cloud where the turbulent downdrafts exist, contributing to the phenomenon known as hail showers. This vertical development of the cumulonimbus also helps explain why hail is not found directly at the base of the cloud or immediately surrounding it but rather in the area below the anvil.