weather-what is the difference between sleet and freezing rain?

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scubamoi1

Mar 2, 2009, 08:35 AM

What is the difference between sleet and freezing rain?

RickJ

Mar 2, 2009, 08:43 AM

Sleet bounces, freezing rain does not :)

Really, that's the difference.

Freezing rain is snow that melts into water and does not re-freeze before hitting the ground.

FlyYakker

Mar 2, 2009, 01:54 PM

More specifically, freezing rain freezes on contact with a cold surface. See Freezing Rain: supercooled droplets freezing on impact (http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/cld/prcp/zr/frz.rxml) this tends to put a coating of ice on whatever it sticks to. In a large amounts it can cause lots of damage due to it's weight pulling down power lines and trees.

Sleet is in the form of small ice pellets