Sleet is rain that freezes into small pellets before reaching the ground below.

The longer version

Sleet starts life as an ordinary raindrop falling from a warmer layer of air. On the way down it passes through a deep band of below-freezing air near the surface, and the drop has enough time to solidify completely before it lands.

The result is a small, clear pellet of ice that bounces on hard ground, rattles against windows, and often accumulates as a crunchy layer. The depth of the cold layer matters: a shallow one gives freezing rain instead, while a deep one produces true sleet. Snow that melts on the way down and then refreezes makes the same pellets.

Where this entry sits

Clouds, wind, rain, and storms shape daily life in ways that most people barely notice. This collection explains snow, lightning, rainbows, the turning seasons, temperature, the instruments forecasters rely on, and scraps of old weather lore. The full list sits on the Weather and Climate page, where every entry is listed in order.