UK weather live: country braces for snow and freezing rain as temperatures fall
Freezing rain is more common in other parts of the world, for example in the USA, where weather systems produce a lot of freezing rain. These are called ice storms, and if enough glaze collects on trees or power lines, the weight of the ice can cause them to break and can result in disruption on a large scale.
However, it is not just these eye-catching scenes which the freezing rain can bring; the weight of the ice can sometimes be heavy enough to bring down trees and power lines, and the glaze of ice on the ground effectively turns roads and pathways into an ice rink. The freezing rain can also prove extremely hazardous for aircraft.
The conditions needed for freezing rain are quite specific and we don?t see this phenomenon very often in the UK. It can produce striking effects, as the rain drop spreads out momentarily across the surface before it freezes, encasing the surface in a layer of clear ice.
The Met Office describes it as ?a rare type of liquid precipitation that strikes a cold surface, and freezes almost instantly?.
Today, the UK is braced for freezing rain ? but what is that?
Meanwhile, Saturday?s race meeting at Newcastle has been abandoned because the course is frozen.
Halifax?s National League home game against Fylde, which was also set for Saturday, has been called off.
Some football games have been called off, including Cheltenham?s clash with League Two leaders Walsall, which was due to take place on Saturday.
For those needing to drive today, the Press Association has this advice on how to stay safe:
Don?t drive if you feel unsafe
Of course, if you really need to be somewhere then this isn?t an option, but if you?re unsure of your abilities or feel stressed by the prospect of driving in snowy weather then it?s always better to hang up the keys and stay put.
Don?t be tempted to drive with a half-cleared windscreen
This is extremely dangerous ? you should wait for your windscreen to defrost entirely before you set off. Make sure that your side windows, rear screen and wing mirrors are all cleared before you leave, too. Plus, if you don?t clear your windscreen properly you could be fined for dangerous driving ? risking a penalty of up to ?2,500 in the most severe instances.
Don?t leave snow on the roof of your car when driving
If the area you live in has experienced a big delivery of snow, then it?s likely that a lot of it will have collected on the roof of your car too. While you might think that this would just breeze off in a flurry as you drive away, sub-zero temperatures can often see snow compact and freeze solid on a car?s roof, creating a potential hazard. A big slab of frozen snow could easily crack the windscreen of a car travelling behind you.
Don?t try to use your wipers to de-frost your car?s windscreen
When you get into your car on a frosty morning it might seem like a good idea to activate its windscreen wipers as a way to clear away the ice. However, during sub-zero temperatures, the wipers can quickly freeze solid, so switching them on will simply burn out the motors and could cause some expensive damage.
Instead, gently lift the wiper arms away from the screen to free them from the ice, or spray a small amount of de-icer onto them as a way of making sure they?re frost-free.
Avoid using boiling water to de-ice your screen
Pouring boiling water from the kettle onto your car?s frosty windscreen might seem like a good idea. The reality is quite the opposite, however, as doing so could cause your screen to crack as it changes from one extreme temperature to another. If your windscreen has any stone chips, then doing this could make them worse, too.
