Why do some storms produce snow ,while others produce sleet or other forms of wintry precipitation?
The type of precipitation that will fall from clouds in any given storm is largely dependent on what is called the vertical temperature profile . A vertical temperature profile is a series of temperature measurements taken at various level of the troposphere. Meteorologists send up weather balloons twice each day to detect the air temperatures at different elevations in the troposphere. During the winter months ,access to temperature data reported back from weather balloons helps meteorologists to more accurately forecast what type of precipitation is on the way . Temperature profiles, however, can change completely due to many factors in the troposphere. For instance , if a low pressure system is moving into an area , cold temperatures at the earth’s surface up through 7,000 feet may also be warming . This is called warm advection . warm advection and cold advection have an effect on the type of precipitation that falls and whether it will be frozen or freezing . Although vertical tem
