During inclement weather, you may see some ice pellets falling from the sky and wonder whether you’re seeing sleet or hail. There’s a huge difference in how those two ice types develop.

These ice pellets often resemble rock salt and bounce upon impact. Unlike hail— which only forms in thunderstorms—sleet is part of the wintry mix we often see this time of year. While sleet ...

Winter storms can bring all sorts of precipitation: snow, sleet, hail, freezing rain or even plain old rain. Why so much variety? The answer involves temperature changes as the precipitation falls.