Final answer:
Ice pellets suggest the presence of freezing rain aloft, as they form when raindrops freeze upon impacting with cold surfaces near the ground.
Step-by-step explanation:
If you encounter ice pellets, it indicates that there was freezing rain above. When raindrops fall through a layer of sub-freezing air near the ground, they can freeze upon impact and form ice pellets. This weather phenomenon is distinctly different from snow, which is formed from ice crystals and occurs under different atmospheric conditions.