09/08/2026
π¨οΈβοΈ KNOW YOUR RISK, KNOW YOUR WEATHER:
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SNOW, SLEET, FREEZING RAIN, GRAUPEL AND HAIL?
βοΈπ¨οΈ 9th August 2026
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π₯Ά VERY COLD TO BITTERLY COLD CONDITIONS AND SNOW
Very cold to bitterly cold conditions, with snow possible over parts of South Africa from today / tomorrow through to Wednesday, may bring a variety of winter precipitation.
π¨οΈ Depending on the temperature and moisture structure through different layers of the atmosphere, precipitation may fall as snow, sleet, freezing rain, graupel or hail.
But what is the difference?
The answer lies mainly in what happens to the precipitation as it falls through the atmosphere. π‘οΈβ¬οΈβ¬οΈ
Much of our precipitation begins as ice crystals or snowflakes high in the cloud, where temperatures are below freezing. As they fall, they can encounter warmer or colder layers of air.
Those layers determine what eventually reaches the ground.
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π¨οΈ 1. SNOW
Snow forms when ice crystals grow within a cloud and remain predominantly frozen as they fall towards the surface.
βοΈ Snow does not require the temperature at the ground to be exactly 0Β°C or below.
Snow can reach the ground when the surface temperature is slightly above 0Β°C, particularly when the layer of above-freezing air near the surface is shallow and the snowfall is sufficiently heavy.
π¨οΈ Wet snow occurs when temperatures are close to freezing. It contains more liquid water and can become heavy and sticky.
βοΈ Dry, powdery snow is more likely when the atmosphere is colder and drier.
β οΈ Snow can make roads slippery, reduce visibility and disrupt transport. Heavy, wet snow can also accumulate on trees and infrastructure.
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π§ 2. SLEET / ICE PELLETS
(IMAGE 2)
Sleet, commonly called ice pellets, occurs when snowflakes partially or completely melt while passing through a relatively warm layer of air aloft, but then enter a sufficiently deep layer of sub-freezing air before reaching the ground.
The melted precipitation refreezes into small ice pellets before reaching the surface.
π§ Unlike freezing rain, sleet reaches the ground as solid pellets and bounces when it lands.
β οΈ Sleet can make roads slippery and may accumulate on surfaces.
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π§οΈπ§ 3. FREEZING RAIN
(IMAGE 3)
Freezing rain begins as snow or ice crystals higher in the cloud but melts completely while passing through a relatively warm layer of air aloft.
The resulting raindrops then fall through a shallow layer of sub-freezing air near the surface.
The droplets remain liquid but become supercooled.
When they touch a surface that is at or below freezing, they freeze on contact, forming a coating of ice.
β οΈ This can be particularly hazardous because even a relatively small amount of freezing rain can create extremely slippery roads, pavements and bridges.
Accumulating ice can also add significant weight to trees, power lines and other structures, potentially causing damage.
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π¨οΈβͺ 4. GRAUPEL / SNOW PELLETS
(IMAGE 4)
Graupel is sometimes confused with sleet, but they form differently.
Graupel develops when supercooled water droplets freeze onto falling snowflakes, gradually coating them with a layer of soft ice.
The result is a white or opaque, rounded pellet that is usually softer and more crumbly than hail.
π¨οΈ Graupel is often associated with cold, unstable convective clouds, particularly behind or near cold fronts.
It can bounce when it reaches the ground, but unlike hail, graupel is generally small and soft.
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βοΈπ§ 5. HAIL
(IMAGE 5 & 6)
Hail is also made of ice, but hail is not simply "winter precipitation."
It forms inside strong thunderstorms, where powerful updrafts carry water droplets and ice particles repeatedly upward and downward through regions of freezing temperatures.
As supercooled water freezes onto the ice particles, they grow larger.
The stronger the thunderstorm's updraft, the greater the potential for hail growth.
βοΈ Hail can therefore occur even when temperatures at the ground are relatively warm.
β οΈ Large hail can damage:
π Vehicles
π Roofs and windows
πΎ Crops
π Livestock
π₯ People caught outdoors
πΏπ¦ In South Africa, the Highveld is particularly well known for severe thunderstorms and damaging hail, especially during the warmer months.
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π SO, WHAT IS THE SIMPLE DIFFERENCE?
π¨οΈ Snow β Frozen precipitation reaches the ground mainly as snowflakes.
π§ Sleet / ice pellets β Snow melts, then refreezes before reaching the ground.
π§οΈπ§ Freezing rain β Snow melts into rain, remains liquid while falling, then freezes when it hits a cold surface.
π¨οΈ Graupel β Supercooled water freezes onto snowflakes, producing soft ice pellets.
βοΈπ§ Hail β Ice grows inside a strong thunderstorm's updraft.
π‘οΈ The important lesson:
It is not simply the temperature at the ground that determines the type of precipitation.
What matters is the temperature profile through the entire atmosphere between the cloud and the surface.
That is why two locations only a few kilometres apart can sometimes experience rain, sleet, graupel or snow at almost the same time.
β οΈ KNOW YOUR WEATHER. KNOW YOUR RISK.
Winter precipitation can look beautiful, but each type can create different hazards.
π Slow down when travelling in snow, sleet or icy conditions.
π¨οΈ Be especially cautious when roads may be icy.
π Protect vulnerable infrastructure where necessary.
π Bring livestock and animals to safer areas when severe weather is expected.
π± Most importantly, follow official weather warnings and advisories and keep checking for updates as conditions evolve.
π Stay informed. Stay prepared. Stay safe.
SWAICSA β Know your weather, know your risk.
