01/22/2026
Everybody knows that there is potential for a major winter storm this weekend. Information is coming fast and furious from the usual suspects and most agree that there will be snow followed by ice. The question that I am seeing go unanswered is how can we get freezing rain when it’s so cold outside? The answer is warm air aloft. This storm is a warm air mass that will overrun the cold air that is already in place on the surface. When rain falls from this warm air mass the water will remain in a liquid state until it impacts a surface that is at or below freezing. Water does not automatically freeze at 32 degrees, it can remain liquid well below freezing and is then referred to as super-cooled. Super-cooled water droplets are very dangerous because they will instantly turn to ice on impact with a power line, road, car or airplane as long as that surface is cold enough. These droplets are especially threatening to aircraft when they impact a wing, run back a bit then freeze aft of any anti-iced/de-iced portion of the leading edge. This builds up a dangerous ridge of ice that destroys lift and cannot be removed. How much snow will we get? No clue. How much ice will we get…..too much. The temperatures will be incredibly cold following this storm so whatever we get will stick around. What about global warming, you know, the “It’s cold because it’s hot!” crowd? They can shovel our driveways.
