Snow, sleet, freezing rain: What's the difference?

Snow is frozen precipation that stays frozen as it falls to the ground.

Sleet starts as snow but melts in warm air and refreezes before landing. It often falls as ice pellets that can bounce when they hit the ground of the hood of a car.

Freezing rain melts in warm air, lands as normal rain and then freezes to cold surfaces. When freezing rain lands and accululates on tree branches and power lines, it can weigh them down to the point that they collapse.

More:

ExploreNational Weather Service: Winter Weather Preparedness

ExploreIce Storms: Why they're so Dangerous

About the Author

Staff reports

Health care provider bankruptcy may stick rural Georgia with state prisoners’ medical bills

Public ambulance services and hospitals are owed $75 million from the now-bankrupt Wellpath. Some want the state to reimburse them.

3 of 4 U.S. soldiers who went missing in Lithuania have been found dead

Three of four U.S. soldiers who went missing in Lithuania have been found dead. The soldiers had been stationed at Georgia's Fort Stewart.

Georgia prison homicides soar as lawmakers focus on fixes

January is off to a bloody start in Georgia prisons after setting a new record for homicides last year.

The Latest

Credit: Ben Gray/AP

A.M. ATL: More pain at the CDC

58m ago

A.M. ATL: To ban phones in school, or not to ban?

3 of 4 U.S. soldiers who went missing in Lithuania have been found dead

Featured

Credit: Jenni Girtman

Mass layoffs underway at Atlanta-based CDC

Public health experts say the CDC cuts could represent generational damage to health research and the elimination of infectious diseases.

Falcons owner Arthur Blank discusses his hourlong phone call with Kirk Cousins

“I had a long and impactful conversation with him,” the Atlanta Falcons owner said at the NFL annual meeting on Tuesday.

Atlanta rapper Young Scooter died after cutting leg on wood fence, medical examiner says

New details still have investigators asking questions about the death of the rapper, who police say died after falling while running from officers responding to a 911 call.