What is the Difference Between Sleet and Hail?
Sleet and hail have different properties, though they may look similar. They require different circumstances, weather conditions and seasons in order to be produced. Another category that should be compared to sleet and hail is freezing rain, which again has its own special conditions and characteristics. All three involve precipitation in the clouds, but each requires just the right set of circumstances to occur. One difference between sleet and hail is the time of year in which each occurs. Typically, hail is most often a summer occurrence, while sleet occurs mostly in winter. You’re much more likely to see hail in warm and oppressive weather where a sudden thunderstorm occurs. In fact, you need cumulus clouds like thunderheads in order to produce hail.
