SALT LAKE CITY — The National Weather Service is forecasting freezing rain in parts of Utah Monday through Wednesday, and, according to the NWS, since 1930 there have only been 11 events in Salt Lake City where freezing rain has caused ice accumulations.
Unlike sleet or hail, freezing rain falls as a liquid, and it occurs when snow falls through a warmer pocket of air and melts before falling through colder air to make contact with the ground–where it quickly freezes and can create a glaze of ice.
The precipitation can freeze on roads, trees and power lines, and the resulting ice can create hazardous conditions–particularly on bridges and overpasses. See the tweet below from the NWS for details on how freezing rain forms.
The NWS also posted a map of Utah, indicating the areas most likely to see freezing rain this week:
The highest ice accumulation from freezing rain in Salt Lake City occurred in 1983, when 0.21 inches formed, according to the NWS.
Track the winter storms in real-time using our interactive maps and radar, and tune in to News at Nine Sunday for a detailed forecast from FOX 13 meteorologist Brek Bolton.
