CHARLOTTE, N.C. — This weekend, we’re under a Weather Impact Alert as we brace for a significant winter storm that could bring ice to parts of the area. And when it comes to ice, even small amounts can lead to big problems.
When we talk about ice storms, the amounts often sound small. A tenth of an inch, a quarter-inch, maybe even half an inch, but ice is one of the most damaging winter hazards we face. Unlike snow, ice coats surfaces like clear cement, and as that coating thickens, the impacts increase quickly.
Ice storms form during a specific atmospheric setup. Cold air is trapped near the ground while a layer of warmer air sits overhead. Snow melts into rain as it falls through the warm layer, then becomes supercooled in the shallow cold air near the surface. When those drops hit trees, power lines, roads, or sidewalks, they freeze on contact, creating freezing rain…