I haven't seen much snow before...

[boi1946]

it's only snowed here a handful of times in my 58 years. What do you call it when tiny pieces of ice (less than pencil-lead size ) come down? My dogs are having a blast, because they're catchibng them out of the sky!!!

[greekspeak]

1. Sleet

Icky stuff! Where are you?

[boi1946]

4. Galveston, Texas

The last time it really snowed here was 1991. We've had a few small flurries, but they never stayed long on the ground. I have one picture from '76 or so of my son and me under a palm tree with snow on it. That snow lasted about 48 hrs...
So this is really strange to me, and I don't know how to drive on ice or snow.

[Sporadicus]

8. You'd Be Well-Advised to Avoid Learning at This Time

If the ice sticks, that is. I see that the high is expected to reach the mid-'30s in your area, so it may not amount to much. That said, I'd rather drive on 8" of snow than ANY amount of ice.

[notadmblnd]

2. I would venture to say snow.

nt

[yellowdogintexas]

3. ice pellets are sleet/frozen rain. Not to be confused with

snow. Snow is more particulate and airy looking.

Ice storms are scarier than snow. MUCH

[boi1946]

7. Well, I guess I may be house-bound for a while.

There's more of it coming down now, though it's still the small sized pellets. Does kitty litter really work if my steps get iced over? I'm up about 25 feet off the ground.

[C_eh_N_eh_D_eh]

9. Yes, it does.

Though not having a cat, I just stick to sand and gravel myself.

Rock salt will melt the ice partially, but it can be hell on any boots or vehicles that cross it.

[yellowdogintexas]

12. kitty litter is great for traction under the car wheels

salt will do the ice; cat litter has no dissolving quality that I know of, unless the cats use it then the hot pee would melt the ice???

also, windshield washer stuff has a certain amount of deicer in it and could be helpful.

[Doctor_J]

5. in chicago we call it sleet

it fells like little needle sticks when you walk in it.

[Cush]

6. sleet / freezing rain

[sbj405]

10. I am a meteorologist. Here's some tips on terminology

freezing rain - falls as rain, but ices up when it hits things on the surface

sleet- basically a mixture of rain and snow

graupel- heavily rimed (iced) snow particles

What type of precip falls depends on a number of factors, mainly the temperature and humidity profile of the atmosphere.

[boi1946]

11. New word for me --graupel.

It seems to have stopped now. But that may have been what it was, or maybe teeny pieces of hail. We have very low humidity today for us, in the 30's, and the temp is 35 last time I looked.

[greekspeak]

13. Old Dixie is looking more like New England this Christmas weekend

They are having winter weather in Pensacola, and now they are predicting sleet through tomorrow in Tallahassee. The maps are showing snow in New Orleans, Mobile, and other parts of the deep south. However, I hear from a reliable source that it was 80 in South Florida today.