Editing Freezing rain (section)

{{Short description|Rain maintained at temperatures below freezing}}
{{Weather}}

'''Freezing rain''' is [[rain]] maintained at temperatures below [[melting point|freezing]] by the ambient [[air mass]] that causes [[freezing]] on contact with surfaces.  Unlike [[rain and snow mixed|a mixture of rain and snow]] or [[ice pellets]], freezing rain is made entirely of [[liquid]] droplets. The raindrops become [[supercooling|supercooled]] while passing through a sub-freezing layer of air hundreds of meters above the ground, and then freeze upon impact with any surface they encounter, including the ground, trees, electrical wires, aircraft, and automobiles.<ref>{{cite web|work=Glossary of Meteorology |url=http://glossary.ametsoc.org/wiki/Freezing_rain |title=Freezing rain |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190318184821/http://glossary.ametsoc.org/wiki/Freezing_rain |archive-date=2019-03-18| access-date= 2019-12-21|url-status=live}}</ref> The resulting ice, called [[glaze (ice)|glaze ice]], can accumulate to a thickness of several centimeters and cover all exposed surfaces. The [[METAR]] code for freezing rain is '''FZRA'''.

A storm that produces a significant thickness of glaze ice from freezing rain is often referred to as an [[ice storm]]. Although these storms are not particularly violent, freezing rain is notorious for causing travel problems on roadways, breaking tree limbs, and downing [[power line]]s from the weight of accumulating ice. Downed [[power lines]] cause power outages in affected areas while accumulated ice can also pose significant overhead hazards.  It is also known for being extremely dangerous to aircraft since the ice can effectively 'remould' the shape of the [[airfoil]] and [[flight control surfaces]]. (See [[atmospheric icing]].)<ref>National Weather Service Forecast Office, La Crosse, Wisconsin. [http://www.crh.noaa.gov/arx/wx.tbl.php Significant Weather Phenomena Matrix.] Retrieved on 2006-12-08.</ref>