SleetRed

Sleet
Andrew M. & Julian D. Red Class

Introduction It starts with rain, forming into a cold substance. Destroying trees, tearing down power lines, and turning roads into ice rinks, Sleet can most definitely be classified as harmful (4). Our wiki provides information on all its dangers, how it forms, examples from the past, and what to do if sleet threatens your area.

Dangers  Sleet can vary in danger. When sleet falls, it can make the roads very sleek and slippery, which can cause car crashes and more dangerous problems (2). Sleet can make many layers on top of tree branches and power lines making them heavy, which sometimes causes them to fall on top of cars, houses, and sometimes even the unlucky person. Because this thick layer of ice weighs down power lines, it can be a cause for power outages (4).



Conditions of Formation Sleet is created as rain droplets fall thorough the atmosphere, cooling down to below freezing temp, and forming into freezing rain (2). Conditions of sleet are important. Sleet occurs often in the southeast U.S because of air temp. in that area. Even during winter, the temperature normally doesn't go below freezing, making layers of warm and cool air. The falling rain freezes and unfreezes, and then hits the ground in pellet form, then turns into a sheet of ice. Different from Hail and Freezing Rain, Sleet can be quite common, as it doesn't need very specific conditions. Hail is most commonly linked to severe thunderstorms and tornadoes, and Freezing Rain is linked to large cumulonimbus thunderclouds (4). From right to left, the first diagram below represents how warm air is pushed upwards by cold fronts and can melt snow into rain because of the warm temp. The second diagram then shows how the snow falls and melts into water, and then refreezes into little pellets (1).



Historical Examples

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During extreme weather conditions in December 2004, a storm blew through the Ohio Valley bringing over 2 feet of heavy snow. 2 interstate highways were closed, and some measurements showed that almost 30 inches of snow had fallen over the course of only a few hours. Not only snow, but sleet too. 6 inches, to be exact. With severe Thunderstorms, there was also Hail as well. This 6 inches of sleet basically put a halt to residents from being able to walk anywhere, let alone commute by car. Loss of power from houses and not being able to get to their job were only a few of the major disadvantages for the people of Ohio. These circumstances not only prove sleet can be dangerous, but show how it can happen to anyone, as Ohio isn't even in the Southeast region of the U.S. (6). ======

For more information read the book __The Nature Company Guides Weather__ by William J, Burroughs and other compiled authors.

Safety If you see or hear a forecast of sleet, stay indoors to avoid any injuries. Most certainly __do not__ drive, and prepare for a possible power outage. The next morning, make sure that if you drive, be very careful on all roads, for they should be coated in ice that may send your car reeling.

Sources 1.) " **Bill Chapman** " **Sleet unknown,** **unknown, 11/22/10,** **http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/cld/prcp/slt.rxml **

**2.) " **Bill Chapman" All about sleet, **unknown,** **unknown, 11/29/10,** http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gl)/guides/mtr/cld/prcp/zr/sleet.rxml


 * 3.)** **unknown, Precipitation,** **unknown,** **unknown, 11/30/10,** **http://www.mcwdn.org/WEATHER/Precipitation.html**


 * 4.) http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-sleet.htm**


 * 5.) Burroughs, William J. The Nature Company Guides Weather. Sydney, Australia: Time Life Books, 1996**


 * 6.) "LMK WEBMASTER" http://www.crh.noaa.gov/lmk/damage_surveys/html/041222-winterstorm-summary.php**