What Is It? All About A ‘Heavy Freezing Spray Warning’

If you are reading this from northern Minnesota or Wisconsin, you have really been through it with the weather the past few days. It has been cold, even by our standards.

Of course, this is to be expected in our neck of the woods but it has been even colder than average and it took a few days to get used to.

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It was so cold, especially at the end of last week, into the weekend, that weird things were happening. There were extreme cold warnings for around ninety counties between the two states. It was brutal.

Like I said, extreme cold can bring about some unusual things these days. I noticed there was a weather alert I had never heard of early this morning and I decided to do some research on it!

What Is A Heavy Freezing Spray Warning? All About This Weather Alert

This alert was in effect for the great lake, which explains why I didn't really know much about it before. It is still important to be aware of, even if you're sticking to dry land. So what is a Heavy Freezing Spray Warning?

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This is how it is described by NOAA's National Weather Service, writing that this type of warning is for the following:

[...] an accumulation of freezing water droplets on a vessel at a rate of two cm per hour or greater caused by some appropriate combination of cold water, wind, cold air temperature, and vessel movement.

There you have it! The combination of all of those elements sounds absolutely dangerous and brutal all at once.

How To Prepare For A Heavy Freezing Spray Warning

If you are on a vessel or know someone who is, it is important you know water and vessel safety. If you are on a vessel and this type of warning is issued, you remain in port, according to the National Weather Service. You should avoid the area that is under the warning if possible, at least until the warning expires.

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If needed, mariners are asked to alter their plans if possible. You should also seek safety if you learn these conditions are coming and you've already left port and make sure your vessel is secured. Lake Superior is nothing to mess with!

This just gives us one more reason to look forward to summer. Hopefully it will be a nice, long one after this cold winter!