What’s the Difference Between Snow, Sleet, and Freezing Rain?

Differences in temperatures in different parts of the atmosphere account for the differences we see between snow, sleet, and freezing rain. The liquid precipitation that falls to Earth’s surface is rain. Rain can begin as snow, but by the time it reaches the Earth’s surface, it has melted because the temperature closer to Earth is warmer.

https://wonderopolis.org/wonder/whats-the-difference-between-snow-sleet-and-freezing-rain