Ice pellets observed at the surface are evidence of which higher-altitude condition?

• A. Temperature inversion with freezing rain aloft
• B. A stable dry layer aloft
• C. A warm front passing overhead
• D. Heavy thunderstorm activity nearby

Answer: (A)

Ice pellets at the surface point to a vertical temperature profile where snow can melt as it falls and then refreeze before reaching the ground. This happens when there is a layer of warm air aloft (enough above freezing to melt snow into raindrops) with a colder layer beneath, close to the surface, that freezes the droplets into ice pellets. A temperature inversion often produces that kind of setup: warmer air above colder air near the ground. So observing sleet means there’s a warmer layer higher up and a subfreezing layer near the surface, i.e., an inversion with freezing conditions aloft. The other scenarios don’t specifically produce sleet patterns the same way.