With winter comes a variety of hazards we can see across our neighborhoods. One of these is freezing rain. With freezing rain in the forecast, what exactly is it?
It comes down to the temperature, not just at the ground, but throughout the atmosphere. Imagine a raindrop falling from the sky. If the temperature is above freezing, the raindrop falls as regular rain. Sometimes, most of the atmosphere is above freezing, but right near the ground, it's below freezing. This means rain falls but cools quickly near the ground, and there is not enough time to turn into ice. Thus, once the rain hits the ground, it freezes on contact. And this creates a layer of ice.
The reason freezing rain can be dangerous is the ice. Even a thin coating of ice can cause your car to slip. Even as little as ½ inch of ice can be enough to bring down tree branches and power lines.
If you are out traveling in freezing rain, always treat a wet road like an icy road, and take it slow.
