What causes freezing rain?

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What causes freezing rain?

Freezing rain occurs in the wintertime when rain produced in a warm air mass falls through a shallow cold air mass below it, freezing on contact with the ground ( if it is below 32 degrees F.) The cold air layer has to be shallow enough so that the rain falling through it doesn't have time to freeze before it reaches the surface. If the cold air is thick enough, the rain freezes to form ice pellets instead. If more than about ½ inch of ice accumulates, tree limbs, branches, and power lines start to snap. The resulting damage can cost many millions of dollars, and it can be many days before downed power lines can be fixed, restoring power to homes and businesses.

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