Precipitate as a
mixture of rain and snow
"If the temperature rises above freezing, it will probably sleet"
SEARCH FOR
THE ANSWERS: When can it occur?
What temperature does it have to be?
What seasons can it occur in?
When does it happen most often?
What does it look like?
What happens after it falls to the ground?
How is it different from the other 3 forms?
What is Sleet?
Sleet is wintry precipitation, and its
exact definition depends on where you are. In Europe, sleet refers
to snow that has partially melted on its way to the ground. In the
United States, this is called freezing rain. Sleet, to
meteorologists in the United States, consists of frozen raindrops
that hit the surface as little ice pellets.
In climes where snow is not as common, such as the Southeastern
United States, a lot of sleet, in any form, is bad news. People can
drive through snow, but not on ice. Sleet is nearly always
accompanied by freezing rain in these kinds of weather systems and
goes on the pavement as an icy glaze.
One reason the Southeast and similar climates have a problem with
sleet is because of air temperatures. A weather system that dumps
snow in the Midwest does so because the air temperature is below
freezing, through all the layers of the system. This is not
necessarily the case in the South, where winter temperatures are
often about 35°F (1.67°C) at the surface. There are several layers
of warm and cold air, so any snow or rain that falls has a chance to
melt, re-freeze and melt several times on its way to the ground. The
South most often receives snow when a cold air mass precedes the
precipitation by a day or two. When the cold air and the storm
system arrive at about the same time, freezing rain and sleet are
the usual result.
Sleet and freezing rain are also the two components of the ice
storm. Snow may slow things down, but ice is destructive. It coats
tree limbs and power lines, making them sag and break. Ice causes
widespread power outages and structure damage from falling tree
limbs.
The best way to deal with sleet after
it falls is to stay inside if possible. Ice is treacherous and can
easily cause falls or other accidents. Have some emergency supplies
available if the power goes out, and try to stay indoors
