Black Ice Alert: Why Freezing Rain Can Make Killeen-Temple Roads a No-Go Zone

An arctic blast will move through Killeen-Temple this weekend, but we still don’t know exactly what will happen. We will either see rain, freezing rain, sleet or snow, but which form of precipitation is the most dangerous?

Rain, Freezing Rain, Sleet, Snow

All four forms of precipitation are a possibility this weekend. Everyone knows what rain is, but fewer are clear about the different forms of winter precipitation.

Freezing Rain: According to the National Weather Service, freezing rain starts out as snowflakes that melt when they pass through a layer of warmer air. Even though they will move through another layer of freezing air just above the ground, they do not have time to refreeze, but instead of just hitting the ground like rain, they instantly refreeze when making contact with anything at or below 32 degrees.

Sleet: Like freezing rain, sleet starts out as snowflakes, but sleet only partially melts when passing through a warm layer of air. When sleet hits the 2nd layer of freezing air on the way down, it refreezes and bounces off the ground. It can accumulate like snow.

Snow : This is where it all begins. Because many winter clouds have cold top layers, most of the precipitation that forms is snow, ice crystals clinging together.

Which Form of Precipitation is the Least Dangerous?

If you must have a winter event, your best best is with snow. Unless you are in blizzard conditions, snow is easier to dry through, and it isn’t as heavy, which means your trees will have an easier time of it. It is only when snow thaws and then refreezes as ice that it becomes a problem.

Sleet Isn’t Entirely Bad

Sleet is the middle child of winter weather. It isn’t as bad as freezing rain, but it isn’t as good as snow. If you see a lot of sleet on the road, slow down. It can be slippery.

Which Form of Precipitation Is the Most Dangerous?

Freezing rain is a Texan’s nightmare scenario. Freezing rain will be the reason you lose your power during a winter storm event. It will coat trees, powerlines, cars, and everything else it touches in ice. Forget about defrosting that windshield in a freezing rain event. And forget about driving anywhere. Freezing rain coats the roads with ice that is near impossible to see (also known as black ice).