Why the Ice Storm in the South Is Such a Big Deal

The ice storm underway in the South is going to be one of the most damaging storms of its kind in decades, if current projections pan out. The storm, which is gathering strength along the Gulf Coast, is pushing warm, moist air up and over an entrenched cold dome of high pressure that is keeping temperatures below freezing at the surface from Maine to Alabama.

Ice more than an inch thick is expected to coat much of central and eastern Georgia into central South Carolina. This may not sound like much, but considering that tree branches will break at just a quarter to a half-inch of ice accumulation, entire trees and power poles are likely to come crashing down in the hardest-hit areas. Read more...