Freezing Rain?

[bonus2010]

"Freezing Rain"


I've been listening to the BBC weather forcasts over the last couple of days, and heard this new term 'freezing rain'. Tbh I've never heard this term before in describing the weather in my whole life ... even spoke to relatives in their 70s, and they agreed also that they've never heard of 'freezing rain' either.

Listening to the BBC they'd have you believe that this is a rare phenomenon of British weather. Hey, it must be rare alright! Maybe it's the first time we've ever had 'freezing rain' in Britain.

My initial thoughts were:- How can you have 'freezing rain'? I mean, rain being water is either frozen, in which case it's snow, hailstone or sleet ..... or as in rain it's just liquid water.. pure water freezes at 0 degrees C.

Decided to do some research on the Internet....

Amazingly the BBC has just created a video to describe what 'freezing rain' is... Giving me some confidence.. maybe I'm not the only person that doesn't know what 'freezing rain' is. Interestingly towards the end of the video it is described that when the water/rain hits the surface it turns into 'glazed ice' Hey, this is another new term for me. (glazed - thought that was to do with glazed icing on cakes )


The video explains that 'freezing rain' is about the creation of 'glazed ice' This 'glazed ice' must be a new thing as well!

As I understand..the rain is not frozen prior to hitting the surface, it's just very cold, (but not zero degrees), but when the rain hits the surface it then freezes, to become 'glazed ice'.

I'm just wondering if anyone else has heard the term 'freezing rain' or about this 'glazed ice' in BBC weather reporting years prior to the last couple of days ?


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BBC weather forecaster Nick Miller explains 'Freezing Rain' and 'Glazed Ice'

BBC News - What conditions cause freezing rain?

[smokey08]

I think they have hired a chav with bad grammar skills to write the forecasts. I saw the forecast tonight and it said "Less cold", I think they meant to write "Warmer".

[GastonJ]

Below is a good example of rain frozen as it hits the cold surface

[Devilfish]

I hit a 200m stretch of glazed ice on Thursday morning, skidded 150m and managed to steer it into the grassy/snowy verge for traction. Very scary!

[footycard steve]

freezing rain hit us in the north east on thursday morninig it caused chaos and hundreds of accidents on the roads as well as people falling down the rain landed and caused instant black ice.

[Meat-Head]

I hit a 200m stretch of glazed ice on Thursday morning, skidded 150m and managed to steer it into the grassy/snowy verge for traction. Very scary!

Main thing is, your still on line.

Perhaps, you could fill the boot of your car with GMB45's empty stella bottles, for extra weight/traction.

Meat