What is freezing rain?

What is freezing rain?

When the air temperature is very cold, water vapour in clouds may fall as sleet, hail, or snow. Water droplets in the clouds get cold, but may not freeze. Under certain circumstances, the temperature of the water droplet may drop below the freezing temperature of water, but the water remains in the liquid state. This water is super-cooled. When super-cooled water falls to the surface of the Earth, the water freezes instantly on any surface it hits. This is called freezing rain.

Freezing rain may cause lots of damage. Trees and power lines may break under the weight of the heavy ice. Cities may have to go without electricity when major power lines are broken.