~ The Baby Ice Storm ~
Well, sort of... February, 2005
North
Carolina is notorious for ice storms in the winter. In Minnesnowta the main winter
player is snow. In Carolina it is ice.
Our ice storms are created when the air
above the ground is warm and the air ON the ground at or below freezing. When
the rain falls from far above, when it passes through the colder, denser,
below-freezing air on the ground, it freezes the moment it lands, whether on the
trees, the grass, and if cold enough for long enough, the bridge and road
surfaces. It all makes life interesting, indeed, for if it rains enough and
stays cold at the surface long enough the buildup of ice in the trees and power
lines can - and often does - become a burden too heavy to bear. Mostly the
evergreens - pines, cedars, junipers, holly trees - because they retain their
leaves in winter, are the ones to suffer most. Well, that and the utility lines
which can get heavy enough to pull the poles to the ground.
 |
The first image is just a shot across the front of the house. The ice is not readily visible in this first image- The second, however, lends to it a misty look, and the ice in the trees is apparent. This picture was taken at the end of our driveway, looking left and down toward the road running to the paved road. The image below right is also from the end of our driveway, but looking right. |
|
This ice storm arrived in the early morning hours, and by the time I got out to take pictures the air temperatures had already risen to nearly 45 degrees, and the ice was very quickly melting in huge "plop!"s To walk near the edge of the woods was like hearing a heavy rain falling, but unless you walked or stood under something taller than you, you didn't get the least bit wet in this heavily falling "rain." |
 |
 |
This storm did not carry with it the amusing stories contained in my Ice Storm 1998, but I still hope you are able to enjoy another of the beautiful weather phenomena with which we in Carolina are all-too often blessed! |
|
At right is a branch on one of the dogwood trees in the front yard (you can almost-but-not-quite see the house through the trees in the background). |
 |
 |
Moving a bit closer to the tree... |
|
And closer still. Oh, I do love my close-up (macro) capabilities! |
 |
