How sleet can cause snowfall total uncertainty

Another impactful winter storm is expected to make its way into Mid-Missouri Tuesday night lasting through Wednesday. Measurable snow is expected with some areas possibly seeing over 7". Lesser snow totals are expected back to the southeast towards I-44 due to the freezing line in the atmosphere. This line will determine the location of where snow and sleet will fall. There is uncertainty on totals in this region due to major differences in liquid ratios to snow/ sleet.

Molecules in snow tend to be more loosely attached together than those in sleet due the majority of sleet being frozen water pellets. The bowls below shows an example of snowflakes on the left as opposed to the same liquid ration of sleet to the right. The molecules are packed more tightly together meaning less space between each other when landing on the ground.

This leads to higher snow totals in snow ranging anywhere from 8:1+.

Liquid to sleet ratios can range to just over 1.1:1 to 3:1 causing for a major total shift in overall frozen precipitation to be measured on the ground.