The Difference Between Snow and Sleet

For you meteorologists, scientists, teachers, weather aficionados and members of Mensa out there, the following information probably isn’t necessary. But for those of us with Liberal Arts degrees ( Would you like some fries with that?) who only write about the weather in fanciful terms, I found this concise (and borrowed) explanation of the degrees of separation between snow and sleet to be useful ... I can’t wait to toss it out at some opportune moment ... to take a boring dinner party down even further ... to fill in the that awkward silence when substantive conversation is most unwelcome ... Oh Hell! Who am I kidding? I just never did understand the difference between the two! ... *grin* ... Here it is:

1. Snow starts as ice crystals in the clouds.
2. If the snowflakes fall through a sub-freezing, column of air, they fall to the ground as snow.
3. Snowflakes sometimes melt as they fall through a shallow layer of warm air, then refreeze as sleet while falling through a thick, subfreezing layer of air near the ground.
4. If the layer of cold air near the ground is not sufficiently deep, the melted flakes do no refreeze. A glazing of freezing rain results when these supercooled drops hit objects and the ground.
5. If the air is above freezing for the snowflake’s entire trip, a cold rain, rather than a wintry mess, is the result.

Thanks, Bob Swanson and Alejandro Gonzalez of USA TODAY. I didn’t know that:) I’ll think of you next time I’m singing “Winter Wonderland”!

If any of my friends here on Live Journal have to travel through any of the wintry mix expected for the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic today, may you arrive at your destination without incident. If you’re stuck at an airport, call me. We can have a conversation about the weather and I’ll be able to handle my end of the conversation:)

Most importantly ... Have a safe and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

The Difference Between Snow and Sleet

For you meteorologists, scientists, teachers, weather aficionados and members of Mensa out there, the following information probably isn’t necessary. But for those of us with Liberal Arts degrees ( Would you like some fries with that?) who only write about the weather in fanciful terms, I found this concise (and borrowed) explanation of the degrees of separation between snow and sleet to be useful ... I can’t wait to toss it out at some opportune moment ... to take a boring dinner party down even further ... to fill in the that awkward silence when substantive conversation is most unwelcome ... Oh Hell! Who am I kidding? I just never did understand the difference between the two! ... *grin* ... Here it is:

1. Snow starts as ice crystals in the clouds.
2. If the snowflakes fall through a sub-freezing, column of air, they fall to the ground as snow.
3. Snowflakes sometimes melt as they fall through a shallow layer of warm air, then refreeze as sleet while falling through a thick, subfreezing layer of air near the ground.
4. If the layer of cold air near the ground is not sufficiently deep, the melted flakes do no refreeze. A glazing of freezing rain results when these supercooled drops hit objects and the ground.
5. If the air is above freezing for the snowflake’s entire trip, a cold rain, rather than a wintry mess, is the result.

Thanks, Bob Swanson and Alejandro Gonzalez of USA TODAY. I didn’t know that:) I’ll think of you next time I’m singing “Winter Wonderland”!

If any of my friends here on Live Journal have to travel through any of the wintry mix expected for the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic today, may you arrive at your destination without incident. If you’re stuck at an airport, call me. We can have a conversation about the weather and I’ll be able to handle my end of the conversation:)

Most importantly ... Have a safe and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!