Know The Terms…

Looks like a winter chill is here to stay for a while; and with a rather unsettled pattern ahead, I thought I would use this space today to explain some basic winter weather terms that still tend to confuse people…

SLEET: These are ice pellets that fall in frozen form, and rarely cause major travel problems. If we have a long duration of sleet, there could be some ice issues, but most of the time it simply isn’t a big deal. The ice pellets bounce off the roadways exposed objects harmlessly most of the time.

FREEZING RAIN: This can create serious headaches. Freezing rain is liquid precipitation; but it falls when surface temperatures are 32 degrees or colder. Usually in the Deep South, this is the result of overrunning, when warm moist air from the Gulf of Mexico runs up and over a shallow layer of cold air near the surface. I have seen freezing rain events here with a surface temperature of 30 degrees, but with a temperature of about 60 degrees just 3,500 feet off the ground. After the rain falls, the liquid freezes on exposed objects, and an extended period of freezing rain is called an ice storm. Ice storms are no fun; they can mean impossible travel and widespread power outages due to trees and power lines that collapse due to the weight of the ice.

SNOW: Yep, this is the fun one. Most folks in Alabama love it simply because it is a novelty, and there is that magical chance you might get to stay home from work or school for a day. It is important to note that when we say “snow flurries”, that comes with the implication that there will be no accumulation.

During any winter storm threat, we can have a mix of all three of these precipitation types, and it can really vary from neighborhood to neighborhood. So, lets all strap in and see if this season will be a winter to remember…

Category: Uncategorized