Freezing rain

Freezing rain is liquid precipitation that freezes when it contacts surfaces at or below 0°C, forming a coating of ice called glaze.

Temperature inversion: A layer of air in which temperature increases with altitude, reversing the usual pattern. A warm layer above a shallow subfreezing layer lets melted precipitation refreeze only after reaching the ground.
Precipitation: Water that falls from clouds to Earth's surface as liquid or solid particles. Freezing rain is one form of precipitation, distinguished by its liquid fall and surface freezing.
Winter storm warning: An alert issued when hazardous winter weather is expected or occurring. Freezing rain can prompt warnings because even modest ice accumulation makes travel and infrastructure hazardous.
1998 North American ice storm: A severe January 1998 ice storm that affected parts of eastern Canada and the northeastern United States. Prolonged freezing rain caused extensive tree damage, power failures, and transport disruption.
Ice storm: A storm in which freezing rain accumulates enough ice to cause significant impacts. Freezing rain becomes an ice storm when glaze buildup reaches damaging levels.
Supercooling: The cooling of a liquid below its freezing point without its becoming solid. Raindrops can remain liquid below 0°C until impact provides a surface for freezing.
Road icing: The formation of ice on road surfaces, reducing tire grip and vehicle control. Freezing rain can coat roads rapidly, sometimes before drivers recognize the surface is icy.
2023 North American ice storm: A March 2023 ice storm that brought damaging freezing rain to parts of Ontario and Quebec. It illustrates how a concentrated freezing-rain event can disrupt densely populated regions.
Sleet: Small ice pellets formed when raindrops freeze before reaching the ground. A deeper subfreezing layer freezes drops aloft, producing sleet instead of surface glaze.
Latent heat: Energy absorbed or released during a phase change without changing temperature. Freezing drops release latent heat, influencing how quickly ice accumulates and how surfaces cool.

Linked from 10 pages