The document discusses how air temperature affects the type of precipitation. It explains that rain occurs when the air temperature from the clouds to the surface is above freezing. Snow forms when the air temperature where precipitation starts and as it falls is below freezing. Sleet happens when rain falls through air below freezing and freezes before hitting the surface. Freezing rain is rain that freezes on impact when the air is above freezing but the surface is below.

1. How Air Temperature Affects Precipitation
Graphic from
WeatherBug.com
By: Mr. K.

2. RAIN
We can get rain at the surface in several ways. Here are two
common ways this happens: 2) The air temperature where the precipitation
1) The air temperature from the starts is below freezing so snow is formed. As
clouds to the surface is above the snow falls, the air temperature rises above
freezing (32° F or 0°C). freezing and the snow melts into rain.
Graphics from the “Precipitation Type Applet”

3. SNOW
The only way we can get
snow as precipitation on the
Earth’s surface is if the air
temperature from clouds to
surface stays below freezing
(32° F or 0° C).
Graphic from the “Precipitation Type Applet”

4. SLEET
Sleet is frozen rain drops.
Sleet happens when rain falls
through an area of air that is
below freezing (32° F or 0°
C) before it hits the surface.
This ‘cold layer’ freezes the
rain, forming sleet.
Graphic from the “Precipitation Type Applet”

5. FREEZING RAIN
Freezing rain is rain that
freezes as it hits the surface.
When the air temperature
in the atmosphere is above
freezing (32° F or 0°C), but
the surface temperature is
below freezing, freezing rain
can occur.
Graphic from the “Precipitation Type Applet”