Oh, my aching back

[sraun]

OK, that white stuff outside is a real pain!

Irene & I scraped the sidewalk free of the whatever-you-call-that-precipitation. (She called it miniature hail, I prefer frozen, as opposed to freezing, rain.) It compacted today - it needed scraping and shoveling. My back is not happy with me right now - too much bent over while cleaning the walk.

Ah, well. From past experience, ibuprofen and a good night's sleep should set me to rights.

Comments

[ex-erikvolso370.livejournal.com]

The word you're looking for is "sleet".

If it starts frozen, and stays frozen, it is snow.
If it starts liquid, then freezes on the way down, it is sleet.
If it starts liquid, then freezes when it lands, it is freezing rain.
Otherwise, rain.

Hail is an unrelated to simple precipitation phenonemon. It's caused by the huge updrafts in thunderstorms, than can push liquid water back up, where it freezes. This cycle repeats until the accumulated ice is too heavy.

If it starts frozen or liquid, and evaporates on the way down, it's virga. This is more common than you'd expect.

[jennlk]

Doesn't really matter what you call it, it's still a pain.

At least we're not getting it tonight, so the kids will go back to school tomorrow.

Tuesday is uncertain, as NWS is predicting freezing rain to sleet for Monday night (dependent upon air temperature).