What's the difference between snow pellets and ice pellets?

Snow pellets (graupel) are soft, crumbly white pellets that form when snowflakes get coated with frozen water droplets—squeeze one and it falls apart. Ice pellets are hard, translucent, and solid throughout because they're actually raindrops that froze on the way down, and they bounce sharply when they hit the ground.

How can I tell if it's hail or snow pellets hitting my jacket?

Do the squeeze test: if it crumbles easily, it's snow pellets; if it stays hard, it's likely hail. Hail is usually larger (over half a centimetre), has a layered internal structure like an onion, and typically falls during thunderstorms rather than winter showers.

Are snow pellets dangerous for hiking?

They can make hillsides surprisingly slippery because they're dense and spherical, behaving like ball bearings underfoot. They're not dangerous in themselves, but a fresh layer can create treacherous conditions on slopes, so take extra care.

Weather The Elements

When the Snow Bounces: Snow Pellets, Hail and Ice Pellets

Snow pellets, ice pellets and hail all look similar when they're bouncing off your jacket, but knowing which is which tells you something useful about what's happening overhead.

24 October 20266 min read