ZCZC NYCWRKPS4 000
  TTAA00 KNYC 161830
  CTZ005>012-NJZ002>006-011-NYZ067>081-301000-
  
  PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
  NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE UPTON NY
  600 AM EDT WED OCT 29 2008
  
  ...THIS IS WINTER WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK... 
  
  PLEASE JOIN THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND THE NEW YORK STATE 
  DISASTER PREPAREDNESS COMMISSION IN PROMOTING WINTER WEATHER 
  EDUCATION INCLUDING SAFETY.
  
  TODAY'S THEME IS ICE STORMS.
  
  FREEZING RAIN IS LIQUID RAIN THAT FALLS WHEN SURFACE TEMPERATURES 
  ARE AT OR BELOW 32 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. THE RAIN FREEZES UPON IMPACT 
  WITH OBJECTS AND THE GROUND CREATING A LAYER OF ICE. WHEN THE LAYER 
  OF ICE ACCUMULATES TO AT LEAST ONE HALF INCH THICK...THE WEIGHT OF 
  THE ICE CAN DOWN TREE LIMBS...POWER LINES AND COMMUNICATION TOWERS 
  AS WELL AS CAUSE WIDESPREAD IMPACT TO MASS TRANSIT. THIS DEFINES AN 
  ICE STORM.
  
  HOWEVER...IT MUST BE NOTED THAT ONLY A TRACE OF FREEZING RAIN CAN 
  PRODUCE A GLAZE OF ICE OVER ROADS...WHICH CAN CAUSE SIGNIFICANT 
  IMPACT TO MASS TRANSIT...ESPECIALLY IF IT OCCURS DURING THE RUSH 
  HOURS.
  
  ALTHOUGH ICE STORMS OCCUR MORE FREQUENTLY FROM NORTHERN NJ ACROSS 
  THE LOWER HUDSON VALLEY AND INTERIOR SOUTHWEST CONNECTICUT...THEY 
  CAN OCCUR ALONG THE COAST.
  
  DURING JANUARY 15TH AND 16TH 1998...THE COMBINATION OF A STRONG HIGH 
  PRESSURE SYSTEM TO OUR NORTH AND A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVING OFF 
  THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST...PRODUCED UP TO 1 INCH OF ICE ACROSS THE 
  LOWER HUDSON VALLEY AND INTERIOR SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT. ICE COVERED 
  ROADS LED TO WIDESPREAD AND SIGNIFICANT TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS THAT 
  RESULTED IN MANY INJURIES. MANY TREE LIMBS AND POWER LINES WERE 
  DOWNED...WHICH CAUSED SIGNIFICANT POWER OUTAGES.
  
  DURING JANUARY 1994...AT LEAST 4 SIGNIFICANT ICING EVENTS OCCURRED 
  FROM THE 4TH THROUGH THE 28TH.
  
  THURSDAY'S STATEMENT COVERS WINTER FLOODS.
  
  $$