On Sun, 06 Mar 2016 11:56:27 -0500, wrote:

On Sun, 06 Mar 2016 15:31:58 -0000, "Mr Macaw" wrote:

On Sun, 06 Mar 2016 15:27:28 -0000, Ralph Mowery wrote:


"Mr Macaw" wrote in message news .

What is an "ice storm"? Is that the same as a "hail storm"? Our
transformers never seem to break.


The ice storm is when the rain fall out of the sky and freezes on the power
lines and trees. It can build up to several inches in diameter. Often the
ice is more than the tree or some of the big limbs can stand and they break
and fall across the power lines. Sometimes could be called freezing rain.

Unlike hail that is already frozen and does not usually stick to the wires
and trees. Hail can be large enough to damage things but does not usually
take out the power lines.

That's very odd and seems to be against the laws of physics. If it's below freezing on the branches, how come it's above freezing higher up (where you'd expect it to be colder) causing rain and not hail?

The only time we get too much weight on branches is in colder parts (North Scotland) where SNOW falls on things. Snow has the ability to stick of course, and builds up.

This ice thing happens when the temp is hovering around 0c. the rain
mixed with snow (aka the dreaded "sleet and freezing rain")
accumulates on ice that is already there and freezes creating another
layer. It is just a strange thing that doesn't make as much sense as
you would like but seeing a CM coating of ice on anything that it
lands on makes it a reality. These things can be quite beautiful until
stuff starts breaking. Imagine a forest of trees apparently made of
glass. On a full moon night it is breath taking.
The biggest part of the electrical problem is the reluctance of
northern folks to cut back trees around power lines.

Up here in "the north" you don't need trees to take down wires in ice
storms. When the wire is 2 1/2 inches in diameter from ice buildup, it
doesn't take much to snap the wires (or even the poles if a good wing
comes up) One reason much of our "secondary" distribution is
underground - along with many of the distribution transformers.
Down here in Florida they are very aggressive about eliminating
anything growing in the right of way. You really do not own the land
in front of your house within about 3m of the road (where the power
lines run) and the power company has the power to cut anything that
encroaches into that space. They do. People accept it because of the
number of wind storms we have. The power companies are really working
to get as much as this as they can, underground. Around here, the
phone company is already there and my landline is actually more
reliable than the cell after a hurricane. I have never lost it in 32
years.