As it makes its decent, they both melt into a raindrop as it's entering the lower levels of the atmosphere sleet will refreeze into basically an ice pellet.
You don't want to do that. Refreezing not only removes moisture, but it creates ice crystals in the fibers of the meat that can compromise its taste and texture.
" The bears face an ever longer fasting period before the ice refreezes and they can head back out to feed, " Steven Amstrup, who conceived the study and is chief scientist of Polar Bears International, told AFP.