[muawiyah]

Some sort of anomaly, but here in Springfield Virginia we are supposed to get ICE PELLETS.

All around us in Fairfax County they are getting 12 inches of snow.

Ice Pellets?

Anyone have any idea what those might be?

[mountaineer]

I'm in the Upper Ohio Valley, a bit west of you (Pittsburgh area). We got about one inch of snow overnight, then some sort of sleet/freezing rain mix for a few hours that left tiny little ice pellets on our window sills and slicked up all the road surfaces and car windows. Right now - fluffy snowflakes coming down like mad.

[palmer]

ice pellets

Layer of warm air aloft. The snow forms high up, melts in a lower layer, then refreezes closer to the ground. A snow pellet is partially melted snow (the warm layer is just above freezing) and an ice pellet is sleet.

We might also get freezing rain. I don't think there will be 12 inches in FF county, but fairly close by in Frederick county MD there probably will be.

Here's a chart of the sounding at Dulles airport: http://weather.unisys.com/upper_air/skew/skew_KIAD.html Notice the nub of warmer air at about 2000 meters. More is on the way which will push that altitude above freezing this afternoon.

[lepton]

Ice Pellets? Anyone have any idea what those might be?

like slightly fluffy hail. Think little chunks of the old frost from your freezer, that hasn't quite turned clear.