An ice storm is a type of winter storm characterized by a frozen rain, also known as a glowing event or, in some parts of the United States, as < i> silver liquefaction . The US National Weather Service defines an ice storm as a storm that results in an accumulation of at least 0.25 inches (6.4 inches) of ice on exposed surfaces. From 1982 to 1994, ice storms were more common than snow storms in the US, averaging 16 per year. They are generally not a malignant storm but are usually regarded as heavy rains that occur at temperatures just below freezing.
Video Ice storm
Formation
The formation of ice begins with a layer of freezing air above the temperature layer under freezing closer to the surface. The frost melts into rain when it falls into a layer of warm air, and then begins to freeze back in the cold layer below. If depositing refreezes while still in the air, it will land on the ground as hail. Alternatively, the liquid droplets can continue to fall without freezing, passing through the cold air just above the surface. This thin air layer then cools the rain to temperatures well below freezing (0 ° C or 32 ° F). However, the drops themselves do not freeze, a phenomenon called supercooling (or forming "super cold drops"). When super-cold ground drops or anything below 0 ° C (32 ° F) (eg power lines, tree branches, planes), the ice sheet accumulates when cold water drips, forming a thickening thickening of the ice. , then it rained frozen.
While meteorologists can predict when and where ice storms will occur, some storms still occur with little or no warning. In the United States, most ice storms exist in the northeastern part of the country, but a devastating storm has occurred further south. The ice storm in February 1994 resulted in tremendous ice accumulation as far south as Mississippi, and caused the damage reported in nine states. More wood is damaged than that caused by Hurricane Camille. The ice storm in east Washington in November 1996 was immediately followed by heavy snow. The combined weight of snow and 25 to 37 millimeters (0.98 to 1.46 in) of the ice causes extensive damage and is considered the most severe ice storm in the Spokane region since 1940.
Maps Ice storm
Effect
The frozen rain of ice storms covered everything with thick, heavy glaze ice. In addition to dangerous driving or walking conditions, branches or even whole trees may escape the ice load. Falling branches can block the road, destroy the flow of electricity and telephone, and cause other damage. Even without trees and fallen tree branches, the weight of the ice itself can easily damage the electrical grid and also damage and degrade utility poles/utilities; even a power pole with steel frame. This can keep people from having electricity from a few days to a month. According to most meteorologists, only a quarter of an inch of ice accumulation can add about  £ 500 (230 kg) weight per line span. The damage caused by ice storms is easily able to shut down the entire metropolitan area.
In addition, the loss of power during ice storms has indirectly led to many illnesses and deaths from accidental carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. At lower levels, CO poisoning causes symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, fatigue, and headaches, but high levels can lead to unconsciousness, heart failure, and death. The relatively high incidence of CO poisoning during ice storms occurs due to the use of alternative methods of heating and cooking during extended power outages, common after severe ice storms. Gas generators, charcoal and propane toast, and kerosene heaters contribute to CO poisoning when they operate in limited locations. CO is produced when the equipment burns fuel without enough oxygen, such as basements and other indoor locations.
The loss of electricity during an ice storm can indirectly cause hypothermia and even death from hypothermia. This can also cause the pipe to break due to freezing water in the pipe.
The famous storm ice
The ice storm that hit northern Idaho in January 1961 set the record for the strongest ice accumulation of a hurricane in the United States, at 8 inches.
In March 1991, a large ice storm in the Rochester, NY area caused a loss of $ 375 million, placing it among the worst natural disasters in the history of New York State.
In February 1994, a severe ice storm caused more than $ 1 billion of damage in the southern United States, especially in Mississippi, Tennessee, and Alabama.
The 1998 North American ice storm occurred during January 5-9, 1998. It is one of the most powerful and costly ice storms in North American history and has the potential to become one of the most violent ice storms in modern history. The storm caused massive power failure in several major cities on the East Coast of the United States. The most affected areas are east and southwest Ontario of Quebec in Canada, where more than 3 million people are powerless for up to one and a half months. The whole tree is jerked and the power poles are completely flattened under the weight of ice accumulation.
The Northeastern United States was affected by a major ice storm on December 11-12, 2008, leaving about 1.25 million homes and businesses without electricity. Affected area of ​​ 3 / 4 up to 1 in (19 to 25 mm) ice accumulation including east of New York in Albany, central and Massachusetts west, south of New Hampshire, coastal and south-central Maine, Pennsylvania in the Pocono Mountains region, northwest Connecticut, and southern Vermont. Southern New Hampshire and the northernmost part of Massachusetts were hit hardest by storms with ice accumulation ranging from 1.5 to 3 in ice (38 to 76 mm). This keeps the population from getting supplies, going to work, etc. Because the road is blocked from a tree that falls on the road. Every falling tree quickly took over the power pole. It can take from 4 to 16 days to see the damage and start restoring power to nearly 1.3 million people. In all there are 675,000 people in New Hampshire without electricity and about 500,000 in northern Massachusetts.
At the end of January 2009 ice storms include several US states, including Arkansas and Kentucky. Most of the affected areas see more than 2 in (51 mm) of ice accumulation, and between 1-5 in (25-127 mm) snow on the ice. This ice storm killed more than 2 million people without electricity at its peak and killed 55 people, 24 in Kentucky. The Rural Water Association in Arkansas and Kentucky activated an emergency response plan to deal with the loss of power for small water utilities throughout their state. The neighboring country of the Rural Water Association, including experienced emergency response responders from Louisiana and Florida, borrowed equipment and labor to help the hardest hit areas.
During the unusually severe 2009-10 Winter in England and Ireland, heavy snow had fallen in most countries in late December and early January. In the second week of January, many roads and sidewalks have been cleared by local councils due to the use of rock salt. However, during the early hours of 12 January, the wet front moved across the country, causing frozen rain and heavy ice glazes, particularly in the South and West Yorkshire areas of Northern England (most importantly, this rain had stopped before the first light ). As locals prepare to leave for work and school, they see from their windows what appear to be clear streets and sidewalks but are actually dangerous black ice sheets. Cars and buses almost immediately encountered tremendous difficulties, and emergency services were called to dozens of accidents. Pedestrians in the village of Holmfirth find the only safe way to proceed is to crawl. The accident and emergency units at hospitals in Sheffield, Rotherham, and Barnsley found themselves flooded with people with fractures, broken bones, and sprains, and many schools were closed down because it was considered unsafe for students to try to make their way there.
On December 25, 2010, freezing rain came down in Moscow and beyond. The accumulation of glaze ice caused a number of accidents and power cuts, the most serious being the damage caused by two power lines feeding the Domodedovo Airport, causing complete blackout of airports and express trains connecting it with the city. As a result, the airport was closed and hundreds of passengers were stranded inside, with taxi drivers charging up to 10,000 rubles (USD 330) for an hour's drive to town. Other city airports, Sheremetyevo and Vnukovo, where air traffic is flowed back and in heavy snowfall followed by hail, collapsed a day later, causing the crash of the aircraft completely.
Gallery
See also
- 2005 Atlantic Power Supply
- Freezing rain
- Ice pruning
- List of ice storms
- Power outage
References
External links
- Es Hurricane
- Hurricane Photo Gallery
- US. Weather Events and Climate Billion dollars
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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