Historic ice storm possible in Charlotte, NC this weekend | Weather Impact Alert

The Charlotte area is bracing for what could potentially be the most significant winter storm in over 20 years. Chris Mulcahy previews the impacts of ice and snow. Weather Impact meteorologist Chris Mulcahy says the wintry mix could be the most ice and sleet in Charlotte since a crippling ice storm in December 2002.

"Up to 12 straight hours of freezing rain is possible," Mulcahy said. "It looks like rain, but up to a half-inch of ice is becoming more of a possibility."

When we talk about ice storms, the amounts often sound small. A tenth of an inch, a quarter-inch, maybe even half an inch, but ice is one of the most damaging winter hazards we face. Unlike snow, ice coats surfaces like clear cement, and as that coating thickens, the impacts increase quickly.

Ice storms form during a specific atmospheric setup. Cold air is trapped near the ground while a layer of warmer air sits overhead. Snow melts into rain as it falls through the warm layer, then becomes supercooled in the shallow cold air near the surface. When those drops hit trees, power lines, roads, or sidewalks, they freeze on contact, creating freezing rain. #Ice #Weather #WinterStorm

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