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Because freezing rain does not hit the ground as an ice pellet (called "sleet") but still as a rain droplet, it conforms to the shape of the ground, or object such as a tree branch or car. This makes one thick layer of ice, often called "glaze". Freezing rain and glaze ice on a large scale is called an ice storm. Effects on plants can be severe ...
Glaze from freezing rain is also an extreme hazard to aircraft, as it causes very rapid structural icing. Most helicopters and small airplanes lack the necessary deicing equipment to fly in freezing rain of any intensity, and heavy icing can overwhelm even the most sophisticated deicing systems on large airplanes.
An ice storm, also known as a glaze event or a silver storm, is a type of winter storm characterized by freezing rain. [1] The U.S. National Weather Service defines an ice storm as a storm which results in the accumulation of at least 0.25-inch (6.4 mm) of ice on exposed surfaces.
The criteria for this warning vary from state to state, but typically an ice storm warning will be issued any time more than 1 ⁄ 4 inch (6.4 mm) of ice at peak is expected to accumulate in an area, else a freezing rain or drizzle advisory is issued; in some areas, the criterion is 1 ⁄ 2 inch (13 mm) instead.
Freezing rain occurs when the wedge of warm air aloft is much thicker, allowing the raindrop to survive until it comes in contact with the cold ground. A coating of ice forms on whatever the ...
Freezing rain advisory WSW (alt.: freezing drizzle advisory) – Freezing rain or freezing drizzle producing ice accretion of up to 1 ⁄ 4 inch (6.4 mm) that may cause significant travel impairments is expected or occurring. Discontinued on October 2, 2017; a winter weather advisory for freezing rain is now issued instead.
The northeast is also expected to see some freezing rain on Saturday, forecasters said. "Any amount of ice could lead to dangerous travel" on Saturday morning, the weather service in New York said .
Liquid forms of precipitation include rain and drizzle and dew. Rain or drizzle which freezes on contact with a surface within a subfreezing air mass gains the preceding adjective "freezing", becoming the known freezing rain or freezing drizzle. Slush is a mixture of both liquid and solid precipitation.