Everything You Need to Know About Sleet
Sleet is an interesting but widely non-understood type of precipitation that deserves some respect. Learn more about it here…
Sleet is a type of precipitation that is pretty common, and many people have heard of it. But when it comes to what it is and what it does, that is when most don’t know the answer. It is one of the many precipitation types I will cover at The Twirlblast. In this post, you will get that answer to have that extra knowledge. Here, look at how does sleet form, what it is, and more.
This post is all about sleet
Slushy Sleet
Sleet Meaning
The first section of this post will be about what sleet is. There are two definitions. One definition is rain mixed with snow in the form of precipitation. The other is falling rain that partially freezes as it falls to the ground. When it lands, it can feel like a slush. It melts more. You shouldn’t confuse it with the other type of precipitation, slush, which is slushy as it falls to the ground. The precipitation type is seen as ice pellets, almost like tiny hailstones. Later in this post, I will explain what makes it different from hail.
Sleet vs. Hail
Sleet can look and feel like hail, but it is different. One characteristic that differentiates it from hail is its size. It is always very small. The ice pellets are easily missed on their own. Hail, though, can grow to enormous sizes, being as big as a ping pong ball, tennis ball, or even bigger! A more scientific way of telling them apart is how they form. Sleet forms in winter storms when there is a warm layer of air above a cool one. Hail forms in severe thunderstorms. This indicates instability and strong updrafts.
How Does Sleet Form?
Sleet forms when snowflakes fall close to the clouds, just like almost every other type of precipitation. As snowflakes fall, they partially melt in an elevated warm air layer. Then they refreeze again as they reach a cold layer of air near the ground. Sleet is hard in the form of ice pellets, ad we mentioned before. It also can be very akin to slush as it falls to the ground.
Where Does Sleet Occur?
Where sleet occurs is pretty simple, just where cold winter weather occurs. This happens in high latitudes and/or high altitudes. The location also has to have the ability to sustain storms in the area. For example, it doesn’t matter if you live in a high altitude. If you live in a desert or other area that doesn’t get winter precipitation, you just won’t get it.
