Ice Storms
Areas of the Southeast United States are susceptible to ice storms, and North Carolina is no exception. Ice storms are a type of winter storm that is caused by freezing rain. As snow falls, it encounters a warm layer of air in the middle of the atmosphere that turns it to rain. Before the rain hits the ground or the surface of an object, it encounters a very shallow layer of cold air that causes the rain to freeze on the cold exposed surfaces. The ice accumulates on trees, power lines, bridges, and roadways causing significant damage and dangerous driving conditions.
Source: Ice Storm | WikiMedia
Did You Know?
During the Ice Storm of December 2002, nearly an inch of ice fell across the Piedmont of North Carolina in a 12-hour period. The weight of that ice toppled branches, trees, and power-lines, resulting in more than 1 million customers without power in North Carolina. It took nearly 10 days to restore power to all of the impacted areas.