Quantifying the compound hazard of freezing rain and wind gusts across Conus

Bibliographic Data

ID15552380
AuthorsJacob Coburn (0000-0003-0953-8117, Cornell University, corresponding author), R J Barthelmie (0000-0003-0403-6046, Cornell University), S C Pryor (0000-0003-4847-3440, Cornell University)
Year2024
Volume19
Issue4
Pages044016-044016
Publication date2024-03-06
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEnvironmental Research Letters (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1748-9326 • E-ISSN: 1748-9326
PublisherIOP Publishing (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1088/1748-9326/ad30a4
OpenAlexW4392501222
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited43

The co-occurrence of freezing rain, ice accumulation and wind gusts (FZG) poses a significant hazard to infrastructure and transportation. However, quantification of the frequency and intensity of FZG is challenged by the lack of direct icing measurements. In this work, we evaluate and then apply an energy balance model to high-frequency data collected during 2005–2022 to derive hourly ice accumulation at 883 stations across the contiguous USA. These estimates are combined with wind gust observations to compute time series of hourly FZG hazard magnitude using the Sperry–Piltz Ice Accumulation (SPIA) index. Results are evaluated using Storm Reports of damage and economic disruption. The hourly SPIA estimates are also used to (i) derive a geospatial atlas of the hazard including the 50 yr return period event intensities for each US state derived using superstations, and (ii) describe storylines of significant events in terms of meteorological drivers and socioeconomic impacts. The highest values of SPIA during the 18 yr study period occur in a region extending from the Southern Great Plains over the Midwest into the densely populated Northeast. States in these regions also have high 50 yr return period maximum radial ice accumulation of 3–5 cm and co-occurring wind gusts >30 ms −1 . These values are comparable to past estimates for the 500 yr event which may imply this hazard has been previously underestimated. This atlas can be used to inform optimal FZG hazard mitigation strategies for each state/region

Atmospheric sciences · Climatology · Geography · Meteorology · Physical geography · Return period · Wind speed · Environmental Science · Icing and De-icing Technologies · Meteorological Phenomena and Simulations · Wind and Air Flow Studies · Geology

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