Recently, residents of Hefei were delighted to witness ‘rice snow’ falling from the sky. This phenomenon, known scientifically as ‘graupel,’ is not actual snow but a type of precipitation formed when supercooled water droplets freeze rapidly onto falling ice crystals in the atmosphere. Graupel appears as small, white, opaque ice pellets—typically less than 5 millimeters in diameter—that make a soft rustling sound upon hitting the ground and crumble easily upon touch. Unlike delicate snowflakes, graupel is granular and often occurs just before snowfall or during intense cold air outbreaks. In Hefei’s case, the appearance of graupel was triggered by a strong cold front moving southward, combined with ample low-level moisture and a sharp drop in upper-atmosphere temperatures—ideal conditions for graupel formation. Although short-lived and rarely accumulating, graupel signals a significant temperature drop, prompting locals to dress warmly. Many netizens shared photos of this rare winter spectacle, calling it a ‘seasonal winter romance.’ Meteorologists also cautioned that while beautiful, graupel can cause briefly icy and slippery roads, urging caution for travelers.
近日，合肥市民惊喜地发现天空中飘起了‘米雪’。所谓‘米雪’，并非真正的雪，而是一种气象现象，学名为‘霰’（xiàn），是由过冷水滴在高空迅速冻结形成的白色不透明冰粒，直径通常小于5毫米，落地时会发出轻微的沙沙声，质地松脆，一碰即碎。与雪花不同，米雪呈颗粒状，常出现在降雪前或冷空气强烈活动时。此次合肥出现米雪，主要受强冷空气南下影响，低空水汽充足，高空温度骤降，为霰的形成提供了理想条件。虽然米雪持续时间较短，且不易积存，但它预示着气温将明显下降，提醒市民注意防寒保暖。不少网友纷纷拍照记录这一罕见景象，称其为‘冬日限定浪漫’。气象专家也提醒，米雪虽美，但路面可能因短暂结冰而湿滑，出行需格外小心。
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