Sleet and freezing are two types of weather conditions that involve rain and air temperature. They are both hazardous and can cause slippery, icy patches on roads, highways, and bridges. In both of these icy conditions, vehicle accidents are more probable, motorists more likely to lose control of their cars in this type of inclement weather. However, there are some distinct differences between sleet and freezing rain.
In freezing rain, the raindrops do not have a chance to freeze before the droplets hit the ground. The layer of freezing air is quite thin, which prevents the raindrops from freezing while in the air. In order for this type of weather pattern to happen, the temperature must be below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. The raindrops freeze once they come into contact with a physical surface, such as roads or highways. Unfortunately, this freezing process creates a slick coat of ice to form on the surface that the rain hits. Vehicle tires can lose traction and skid on this icy surface if the vehicle is going too fast or the driver not see what is known as black ice. Similar to the potential to cause dangerous traffic accidents, freezing rain that forms on surfaces where people walk, such as parking lots, streets, porches, and sidewalks can cause people to slip or fall, which can result in physical injuries (Freezing rain and sleet, 2014). However, freezing rain does not build up like snow.
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On the contrary, sleet is thicker than freezing rain and can build up like snow. This snow- like thickness can create dangerous driving conditions. Sleet is created when the layer of freezing air along its surface is thicker; therefore, unlike freezing rain, the raindrops freeze before they even hit the ground. Because sleet is already frozen when it falls, sleet will bounce off the surfaces that it comes into contact with, its icy pellets scattering and amassing. Compared to freezing rain, sleet also has a slushier consistency and does not stick to surfaces, such as roads, bridges, and highways. (Freezing rain and sleet, 2014). One can see sleet when they walk through the street, the slushy wet consistency requiring boots and waterproof footwear.
In some ways, freezing rain can cause additional damage that sleet does not cause. For instance, when freezing rain develops it can freeze on trees and their branches. This is very dangerous, the extra weight on the tree branches causing them to break off and fall to the ground, which can wreck much havoc (Freezing rain and sleet, 2014). Falling tree branches can damage people’s vehicles or hit people who are walking down the street. Freezing rain can also create large sharp icicles that hang off of people’s roofs and gutters. When these icicles fall, they can land on people’s heads, knocking them unconscious or cut them with the sharp icicle edges. Freezing rain can also form and cling to power lines. This extra weight can cause power lines to break and snap, which can create massive power outages throughout counties and cities. One only has to think back to national news in 2006 to remember the damage that freezing rain can induce. Buffalo New York experienced a massive ice storm that created many problems for its citizens. Many residents lost power for a couple of weeks. Sum pumps backed up and flooding occurred throughout the region. Many of Buffalo’s trees were also damaged by the freezing rain.
As you can see, sleet and freezing rain are similar and different. While both types of weather conditions involve rain and air temperature, freezing rain freezes after it hits a surface while sleet freezes in midair before it hits the ground. Sleet also accumulates like snow, while freezing rain creates a coat of ice of on roads, bridges and power lines, the conditions creating treacherous conditions for drivers, home owners, and pedestrians.
