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Winter Weather Awareness week continues with today’s topic, ice storms

Winter Weather Awareness week continues with today’s topic: Ice Storms.  Most understand how dangerous they can be.  Heavy accumulations of ice can have a major...
winterwxweek_day3_snow-terms

Winter Weather Awareness week continues with today’s topic: Ice Storms.  Most understand how dangerous they can be.  Heavy accumulations of ice can have a major impact on an area.   Trees and power lines are brought down by accumulating ice.  Utility poles and communication towers can topple in extreme cases.  Even small accumulations of ice can be extremely dangerous to motorists and pedestrians.  Bridges and overpasses can become dangerous because they freeze before other surfaces.

winterwxweek_day3_ice_storms

Freezing rain is a result of precipitation which initially falls as snow, then encounters a layer of warm air which melts the snow changing it to rain.  The rain freezes as it encounters below freezing air at or near the surface creating a film of ice.

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Most of the United States receives less than 10 hours of freezing rain annually.

The National Weather Service issues Ice Storm Warnings for Pennsylvania when significant ice accumulations are expected and winter weather or freezing rain advisories for any ice accretion which also includes freezing drizzle.

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