Talk:sleet

Entry in dictionary.com

dictionary.com has:

1. Precipitation consisting of generally transparent frozen or partially frozen raindrops.
2. A mixture of rain and snow or hail.
3. A thin icy coating that forms when rain or sleet freezes, as on trees or streets.

I am aware of the second meaning only, which is the one added when I created the page. Dmh has replaced this with the third meaning. I will restore mine and leave Dmh's as a second meaning. -- Paul G 17:15, 21 Apr 2004 (UTC)

To be precise

Skeat's expression, as quoted in German, mentions from Scand.. I have written Old Norse, since until Snorri Sturluson the languages had not begun to differentiate, if it is borowed into English in a later time, I do not know how one ought to alter the expression... Any suggestions? Bogorm 09:39, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

Translations are for second meaning

It seems to me that all the translations are referring to the mixture of rain and snow, and not to the balls of ice (ice pellets). At least I can confirm that the Italian translation is referring to the second meaning. Shall we give this page a major review? Alfredo 08:50, 5 Feb 2008 (GMT)

I agree that the first definition is rather diffuse, and can both relate to regular snow and hails. I guess this is not ever called sleet?--Event 21:41, 30 September 2009 (UTC)

No universally accepted definition

I found this, which seems relevant:

"Sleet has no internationally agreed definition but is reported in meteorological observations as a combination or mix of rain and snow."

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/learn-about/weather/types-of-weather/snow/sleet
—DIV (49.186.97.223 12:47, 15 July 2022 (UTC))

Precipitation, not slush

I have amended the 2nd definition of "sleet" to make clear that it relates to precipitation (falling water in various forms). I am confident that this is correct for the British Isles and Australia (not sure about New England).

In that case, the representation of "slush" as synonym is completely erroneous, as (in in experience, and in the Wiktionary definition) one finds that slush is a mixture that lies on the ground!

—DIV (49.186.97.223 12:53, 15 July 2022 (UTC))

Optionally, instead of my amendment to

• Precipitation in the form of a mixture of rain and snow.

also valid & equally precise (yet more concise) would be

• Falling of a mixture of rain and snow.

I considered also phrasing with rainfall and snowfall, but I think that is less clear (more ambiguous).

—DIV (49.186.97.223 13:57, 15 July 2022 (UTC))

@49.186.97.223: Here in New England, it is not entirely unheard of for the result of sleet to—in certain circumstances—still be referred to as "sleet" after it has fallen. Particularly, phrasing like "surfaces coated in sleet" and a "surface coated in sleet" (as in, following a storm) is sometimes found here both in local news coverage as well as well as in common conversation.

So, in other words, although the sense "precipitation in the form of a mixture of rain and snow" is the core sense, it can also in certain circumstances have a meaning pretty close to just "a mixture of rain and snow" if one is specifically referring to the particular mixture that is coating a surface that was the result of a storm that involved sleet.

Perhaps this requires a subsense for sense 2? It could look something like this:

1. (chiefly UK, Ireland, New England) Precipitation in the form of a mixture of rain and snow.

   (also , chiefly New England) a mixture of rain and snow coating a surface following a snowstorm.

Tharthan (talk) 20:35, 15 July 2022 (UTC)