WASHINGTON, Mo. — When it happens, freezing rain is a major disruption to people's lives, making it dangerous to venture outside on foot and on the road.
But what is freezing rain and why does it happen? What is sleet? Particular conditions need to be met for these types of precipitation to fall instead of snow.
Here's what we know.
How freezing rain and sleet form, and how they're different from snow
What form precipitation will take as it falls to the surface depends on the temperature of the layers of air the moisture must pass through before it hits the ground, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
Freezing rain occurs when temperatures are warmer higher up in the atmosphere, but colder as it gets closer to the ground. This means precipitation falls as raindrops, but then freezes instantly when the raindrops make contact with the cold ground, creating a coating of ice, according to the NWS.
Sleet is what happens when the layer of freezing air is thicker, giving the precipitation more time to freeze before it hits the ground.
Snow occurs when precipitation freezes higher up in the atmosphere and falls through more uniformly cold layers of air.
Freezing rain impacts
Freezing rain produces a layer of ice on trees, cars, and roadways, creating hazardous driving conditions and can lead to power outages if the weight of the ice is heavy enough on powerlines and trees. This can lead to structural damage and roadway hazards.
Bridges, overpasses and elevated roadways are especially susceptible to icing as they are surrounded on all sides by the cold air and freeze more quickly, according to the National Weather Service.