What Is Freezing Rain And Why Is It So Much More Dangerous Than Snow?

It could turn parts of the UK into an 'ice rink.'
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Snow-bound Britons have been warned they face a new threat from Storm Emma, with forecasters predicting “freezing rain” will hit parts of the UK.

Freezing rain, which last struck Britain back in 2010, is treacherous for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians as it forms a slippery layer that is often invisible to the naked eye.

The East Midlands, North West England, Wales, the West Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber are all forecast to be hit by freezing rain from Friday morning until midnight.

What is freezing rain?

Freezing rain, the Met Office explains, is a type of liquid precipitation that falls as a super-cooled water droplet until it strikes a cold surface, at which point it freezes more or less instantly.

We've talked about #FreezingRain in the last 24 hours... this is what it did to a front door in Exmouth this morning! Thanks to @Petagna for the picture pic.twitter.com/zJ1jsMqWnD

— Met Office (@metoffice) March 2, 2018

Freezing rain tends to start its life as snow, ice, sleet or hail, but passes through a layer of air that’s above 0C on the way down to the ground, melting into a liquid water droplet. If these droplets then fall through a zone of sub-zero air just above the ground, they become super-cooled. When these super-cooled droplets strike surfaces that are close to or below freezing, they freeze on impact forming a glaze of ice.

Why is it worse than snow?

The glaze of ice formed on impact tends to be clear, making for slippery and dangerous surfaces for pedestrians, motorists, cyclists and anyone else attempting to travel.

Freezing rain has formed a sheet of ice on my car ❄️ 🚗. Don’t worry I’m not driving anywhere today #loveukweather #Devon pic.twitter.com/jFVzT5Vr4o

— Alex Burkill (@WeatherAlex) March 2, 2018

The phenomenon is much more common in the US and Canada, where heavy build ups of freezing rain have been known to bring down power lines and trees, though Met Office spokesman Craig Snell tells HuffPost UK it’s unlikely to cause the same damage here.

Tricky conditions out there with #freezingrain forming a layer of hard #ice on top of the fluffy #snow! #Devon @metoffice pic.twitter.com/XScRhFtpcF

— Alex Burkill (@WeatherAlex) March 2, 2018

Please be aware that sheet ice is forecast for #Friday morning. This presents an extreme risk as you cannot see it, & gritting has no effect. Only travel if absolutely & urgently essential. #FreezingRain is more dangerous than the snow! #weatheraware #StormEmma https://t.co/RgFonJHgbO

— Devon&Somerset Fire (@DSFireUpdates) March 2, 2018

#freezingrain #teignmouth this morning. Everything is coated. My trees in early bloom are going to suffer. @metoffice pic.twitter.com/ZKytpBO3tY

— Mark McCarthy (@markpmcc) March 2, 2018

This is why you should clear #ice off your vehicle before driving. Please ensure your vehicle is roadworthy and fit for the weather conditions. #BeastFromTheEast #FreezingRain #FridayFeeling #EmergencyServices are out keeping you safe. pic.twitter.com/wd03ZNLR6L

— Cycle Safety Team (@MetCycleCops) March 2, 2018

Reports of #FreezingRain in parts of southern England now, where snow has melted through a layer of warmer air aloft, then freezes when falling on still frozen ground.

It's dangerous, as you can't see clear layer of ice, so don't assume it's not icy just because it's raining! pic.twitter.com/xUz81F5gC0

— Liam Dutton - Weatherman (@liamdutton) March 2, 2018

Slow mo showing the freezing rain bouncing off of the huge amounts of snow which has created a sheet of ice as a layer overnight. Horrendous conditions, stay safe people! pic.twitter.com/76bA76fv2z

— Tom Vickery (@TVickers1) March 2, 2018

Arts University Bournemouth: Freezing Rain has left the campus as an Ice Rink! @StormHour pic.twitter.com/UVWfn6iKaY

— UK Weather Live (@UKWeatherLive) March 2, 2018

The RAC warns that freezing rain has the potential to leave Britain’s roads at their “most treacherous”.

Sara Thornton, of digital weather service Weathertrending, said: “Even if the snow doesn’t get you, gale-force winds and super-cooled freezing rain could turn parts of the UK into an ice rink by the weekend.

“Driving conditions will be positively dangerous, with widespread transport and communication disruption expected. The danger will be greatest in areas that will see warmer air tussling with the big freeze.

Be careful in your driveways, parking lots and side streets this morning, they might be slick. Just remember to walk like a penguin! #WalkLikeAPenguin #DontWalkLikeAnEgyptian #SafetyFirst #SlippingOnIce #FreezingRain pic.twitter.com/FajUmsyFpK

— Bellefleur Physio (@BellefleurPT) February 24, 2018

Freezing rain makes for #icy walkways and roads. Stay safe and get your penguin walk on! https://t.co/5TSc8FHwGY #winterwalking #fallprevention #penguinwalk #gpab pic.twitter.com/XNI84nPVi0

— AHS North Zone (@AHS_NorthZone) January 17, 2018

The effects of last night's freezing rain are amazing but it's absolutely treacherous out there. My advice: stay indoors @Bournemouthecho

— Mike Parker (@mr_mike_parker) March 2, 2018

“Here we’re likely to see super-chilled water fall as rain, only to freeze instantly as it hits the ground. The result could be an invisible, lethal glaze on roads and pavements that could rank as one of the worst freezing events for many years.”

The Met Office does offer some solace though - freezing rain which falls on top of snow tends to be less lethal. Snell added: “As the snow is soft under the ice, the ice is breaking therefore the effect is not quite as bad as it could have been.”

Meanwhile if you are faced with this menace, online sources familiar with the phenomenon advise to “walk like a penguin”... or simply play it safe and stay indoors.

And a lesson in freezing rain from Canada...

As a Canadian, I hear a lot of complaints in the winter in the UK: 'If you can clear snow in Canada, why can't our government get it's act together.' So, children, gather round while I tell you a little story.

— Judith Flanders (@JudithFlanders) January 29, 2018

Montreal has a population of 3 million. It snows approximately 60 days a year, totalling about 200 cm of snow. Each major snowfall costs $1m a year to clear away. And this is why. pic.twitter.com/eRv5TEgDh3

— Judith Flanders (@JudithFlanders) January 29, 2018

Last Wednesday, there was freezing rain. Not snow, but it left the city streets covered in ice. So, to remove it, this is what had to happen. First, the signs go up, warning people to move their cars. pic.twitter.com/OFhhiPVGMO

— Judith Flanders (@JudithFlanders) January 29, 2018

Half an hour before the plows come, a small van goes along the street, with a horn, reminding drivers to move their cars.
He returns back three times.

— Judith Flanders (@JudithFlanders) January 29, 2018

Because the problem this time was ice, an ice-breaker, with milled teeth, comes to break up the surface to be cleared. pic.twitter.com/RYrWlkGC4w

— Judith Flanders (@JudithFlanders) January 29, 2018

The is followed by a plow which pushes all the snow and ice together for gathering up. pic.twitter.com/25em3LPnrq

— Judith Flanders (@JudithFlanders) January 29, 2018

Then that returns and does the street again. Three times. pic.twitter.com/n9o0aNJomR

— Judith Flanders (@JudithFlanders) January 29, 2018

After that a smaller vehicle tootles along the pavement, clearing the broken ice and snow into the road. pic.twitter.com/TJPttIGyBP

— Judith Flanders (@JudithFlanders) January 29, 2018

Then comes a pavement gritter, covering the pavement in both salt for the remaining ice, and grit. pic.twitter.com/5J9eXta7zQ

— Judith Flanders (@JudithFlanders) January 29, 2018

After that comes a small snow-blower. pic.twitter.com/N8wqfaf6vn

— Judith Flanders (@JudithFlanders) January 29, 2018

This is used to collect the snow and ice, and transfer it to 22-wheel vehicles the length of four houses, which transport the snow to the dump.
Three more follow. pic.twitter.com/IPFCScyN1e

— Judith Flanders (@JudithFlanders) January 29, 2018

And then, finally, comes a road gritter, followed by a van to remove the no-parking signs. pic.twitter.com/TG9ncbkMtY

— Judith Flanders (@JudithFlanders) January 29, 2018

This process took 50 minutes, for a 350-metre stretch of road. Tomorrow they return to do the other side of the street.

— Judith Flanders (@JudithFlanders) January 29, 2018

Add in the costs of set-up, the vehicles, keeping the drivers and administrators on call and ready for action, and that, children, is why we don't have Canadian-level snow-preparedness in the UK.

— Judith Flanders (@JudithFlanders) January 29, 2018

Thus endeth today's lesson.

— Judith Flanders (@JudithFlanders) January 29, 2018

Sorry, a typo in the second tweet made a mockery of the costs. It’s $15m, not $1m, per major snowfall. In a city of 3m. Approximately $300m a year.

— Judith Flanders (@JudithFlanders) January 30, 2018

(I also forgot to mention, they run an app, InfoNeige (SnowInfo), which allows you to know, in live time, where the plows are, so you can move your car; use a cleared street; and not get stuck behind the plows.)

— Judith Flanders (@JudithFlanders) January 31, 2018

And another 'I forgot': @saurilius reminds me that the van that honks to remind drivers to move their cars is, on its third pass, followed by (ominous Jaws music) a tow-truck, to remove those left behind.

— Judith Flanders (@JudithFlanders) February 1, 2018
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