Freezing Rain

11/20/2019 (Permalink)

Frozen rain attached to a car

Due to the colder weather, the Harrisburg West area is beginning to experience its first freezes and views of snowfall of the season. This season is prime time for freezing rain due to cold ground temperatures. When the atmosphere is warm but the ground is cold, precipitation that falls as rain is likely to freeze when it comes into contact with freezing surfaces such as roadways, bridges, or sidewalks. When this happens, the liquid freezes into ice, which can be dangerous for drivers, pedestrians, and even power lines. In order to stay as safe as possible, understanding how to handle freezing rain and which precautions to take before the storm can be beneficial.

Other forms of winter precipitation, such as snow, are not incredibly difficult to deal with, as they can be eliminated through shoveling or melted with moderate sunlight. Freezing rain, on the other hand, produces ice, which requires a stronger method for elimination. The produced ice is not always visible, which poses a threat to drivers, who may perceive the ice simply as water on the road. Driving or walking on wet surfaces is also dangerous, but both are much more challenging tasks to complete on icy surfaces. The ice that forms as a result of freezing rain can also accumulate in heavy amounts on tree branches and power lines. If too much ice builds up on top of the branches or power lines, the weight of the ice can pull them down, causing fallen branches and power outages. Until the power lines are repaired, homes and businesses can be deprived of power and therefore, heat, for potentially extended periods of time. Heavy, falling branches can also put homes and businesses at an increased risk of damage.

Prior to a storm that is predicted to produce freezing rain, it is important to take precautions in order to reduce the amount of damage and disruption that the storm will have on your life. To reduce ice on your home or business’ sidewalks or driveways, purchase salt before the storm that you can sprinkle on freezing surfaces, as it will facilitate the process of melting the ice. Next, anticipate the possibility that damaged power lines from the storm may result in power outages, as well as the chance that ice produced by the storm will impede on your ability to safely leave your home. Stocking your home with essentials, including batteries, toilet paper, bottled water, blankets, and flashlights, is a good way to ensure that you will not need to leave your home in dangerous conditions.