Rain is something Floridians are used to seeing, but snow is quite a bit more rare. How exactly does freezing rain differ from regular snow?

Floridians are getting a crash course in winter weather vocabulary this week. Here's what you should know about sleet, snow and freezing rain.

Rain is something Floridians are used to seeing, but snow is quite a bit more rare. How exactly does freezing rain differ from regular snow?

Freezing rain, at its least intense, can create thin sheets of ice that lead to slick, dangerous conditions for drivers and pedestrians. At its worst, according to National Weather Service forecaster Christopher Bannan, thick ice forms on virtually every surface, from roads and sidewalks to rooftops and plants.

The rare snow storm that has swept across the Florida Panhandle has brought winter weather to the Sunshine State from snow to sleet and freezing rain.

The Lowcountry’s winter storm has arrived, and people all across the area are experiencing snow, freezing rain, and sleet Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. A winter storm warning issued by the National Weather Service will remain in effect for Colleton,

Sleet happens when snow hits a warmer layer of the atmosphere, turns to rain, but then passes back into a freezing level of the atmosphere. That rain will re-freeze into small ice pellets known as sleet. So basically, freezing rain equals a coating of ice, and sleet means scattered pellets of ice.

Wednesday: Possible snow, sleet, and freezing rain through around 11 a.m. Winter Storm Warning through 1 p.m. Wake-up temperatures are in the 20s for SE Georgia and 20s and 30s for NE Florida. Afternoon highs are in the upper 30s to 40s.