Ice Storm Warnings have been issued for the northern part of the country this week. A lot of regions across the U.S. have had their fair share of snowfall this winter, but dealing with ice is a whole different battle.
Just a thin coating of ice can result in a travel nightmare, while heavier amounts will severely damage trees and power lines. Strong winds can add extra force to already weighted-down tree branches and power lines, increasing the likelihood of significant damage.
What is an ‘Ice Storm’?
An ice storm describes damaging ice accumulations due to freezing rain and sleet. This often results in loss of power and extremely dangerous walking and driving conditions.
An Ice Storm Warning is issued by the National Weather Service when freezing rain produces significant and possibly damaging accumulations of ice. This typically means more than 1/4″ of ice is expected to accumulate.
Ice Storm Facts
*Ice can increase the weight of branches by 30 times.
*A one-half inch ice accumulation on power lines can add 500 pounds of extra weight.
*An ice storm in 2009 from northern Arkansas to the Ohio Valley knocked out power to 1.3 million customers.
*In 1998, an ice storm in northern New York and northern New England damaged millions of trees and caused $1.4 billion in damage. Accumulations were as much as three inches thick.
These ice accumulations are caused by freezing rain.
Freezing rain is a result of snow falling through an above-freezing warm layer in the atmosphere above the surface of the earth, which melts the snowflakes into rain. The raindrops then move into a thin layer of below-freezing air near the ground, allowing them to refreeze on contact to roads, trees, cars and other objects.
While accumulations of sleet can also make roads treacherous, sleet does not accumulate on trees and powerlines, so ice events with more sleet than freezing rain pose a greatly reduced threat for tree damage or power outages.
How to Prepare
Preparing for an ice storm can be difficult, but there are things you can do. Make plans to limit any time spent on roadways. With this system looking to impact Wednesday evening’s commute and Thursday morning’s commute, people should find alternative timeframes to travel or work from home if possible.
In the case that one loses power, be sure to charge all items, such as cell phones and laptops. Also, alternative sources of heat may be necessary. Things like fireplaces, generators, and portable space heaters will be handy. Although, you should always use caution. You should NEVER use portable generators indoors and they should be kept 20 feet away from your home to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
Freezing containers of water for ice can help keep things in the fridge and freezer colder for longer and even be used for drinking water if necessary. An unopened fridge can keep cold for approximately 4 hours and an unopened freezer can last up to 48 hours if full.
Finally, please continue to check your weather apps and websites all week long as this forecast will be evolving and impacts are expected to be significant.
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