Rain, snow, sleet, and hail are all forms of precipitation. Precipitation is any water that falls from the atmosphere to the Earth’s surface, and it occurs when the atmosphere is saturated with moisture. Each of these forms has different characteristics based on temperature and atmospheric conditions.
Rain is liquid water droplets that fall when the air temperature is warm enough to keep water in a liquid state. Snow consists of ice crystals that form in cold conditions and fall when temperatures are below freezing. Sleet happens when raindrops freeze into ice pellets before reaching the ground, typically occurring during winter storms. Hail is formed in thunderstorms when updrafts carry water droplets high into the atmosphere where they freeze into balls of ice.
Understanding these forms of precipitation can help us better prepare for and respond to different weather conditions.