Vertical Temperature Profile for Freezing Rain

  • If a shallow freezing layer exists at low levels, freezing rain, or glaze may form

  • this is the type of temperature structure that is necessary for an ice storm

  • Note: at low levels on will experience freezing rain

  • at higher levels, it will be rain

  • Hence, during the ice storm of '98, LSC was high enough (el=1000') to be in the rain

  • Burlington VT, however, was low enough (el=300') to be in the freezing rain

  • Formation of rain/snow/freezing rain/sleet

  • Check out the annual freezing rains days map in your book.

QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT:

1.  It is -12°C in Albany, NY, and freezing rain is falling. Can you explain why?

2.  When falling snowflakes become mixed with sleet, why is this condition often followed by the snowflakes changing into rain?

Here is a data example from 12/13/00 over northern Texas: