What type of precipitation occurs when snow melts partially in a warm layer and becomes supercooled rain droplets before freezing on contact with the ground?

The phenomenon described involves a unique process where snowflakes pass through a warm layer of air, causing them to partially melt. This melting results in the formation of supercooled droplets of water, which are still liquid but exist at temperatures below freezing. When these droplets come into contact with surfaces that are also below freezing, they freeze instantly, creating a layer of ice on those surfaces. This process is characteristic of freezing rain.

In contrast, other forms of precipitation do not follow this specific sequence. Regular rain occurs when precipitation falls as liquid droplets without passing through a freezing layer. Sleet, on the other hand, involves snowflakes that fully melt into rain droplets, refreeze in a colder layer, and then fall as small ice pellets. Snow is the result of ice crystals forming directly in the colder conditions of the cloud and falling to the ground without melting. Thus, the correct identification of this precipitation type as freezing rain is crucial for understanding its characteristics and impacts.