TOLEDO, Ohio — An ALERT DAY has been issued for Tuesday as a system will bring icy conditions overnight into Tuesday morning. Here are the three things to know about hazardous weather conditions.
1. Ice will begin to develop late Monday night as freezing rain begins to fall across the region.
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2. Freezing rain is likely through the night.
Expect freezing rain to fall throughout the entire night into early Tuesday morning. Temperatures will be right around 32 degrees, which could cause a thin glaze of ice on the roads.
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3. Expect slippery travel Tuesday morning.
Due to the precipitation and temperatures, expect travel delays for the morning commute. Some areas could see 0.10 inches to 0.20 inches of ice, especially the further north you go.
What is freezing rain?
Freezing rain can be deceiving because it looks just like normal rain while it's falling. That's because a warm layer (above freezing temperature) develops higher in the atmosphere. This melts any snowflakes, turning them into liquid rain. Near the surface, the air is colder than freezing, but the water droplets don't have time to re-freeze before hitting the ground. Before we get too technical, maybe a "doughnut" explainer will help satisfy your appetite.
This means the liquid will cool immediately upon hitting the ground and coat whatever surface it falls upon. This makes it especially dangerous to trees and powerlines since the limbs and wires are not designed to carry the extra weight. If enough ice develops, the weight can snap the branches and bring down wires.
Temperatures by mid-morning will be back to above freezing. Lingering ice may stick around throughout the day. Be careful driving.
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