When scientists talk about the cryosphere, they mean the places on Earth where water is in its solid form, frozen into ice or snow. Read more ...
Cryosphere Glossary
precipitation
(1) any of the forms of water particles, whether liquid or solid, that fall from the atmosphere and reach the ground; includes: rain, drizzle, snow, snow grains, snow pellets, diamond dust, hail, and ice pellets; see also acid precipitation (2) accumulated depth of rain, drizzle and the melted water content of frozen forms of precipitation.