What is freezing rain and why it's so dangerous as Met Office issues weather warning

A yellow weather alert for snow and ice is currently in place across Greater Manchester with two amber alerts set to come into place overnight – including a warning for freezing rain. But what is freezing rain, and what exactly makes it so dangerous?

Freezing rain is when raindrops fall through a layer of cold air near the ground and freeze on contact with cold surfaces, instantly turning into ice.

Although the air is below freezing, the rain remains liquid as it falls, only freezing when it makes contact with cold surfaces like roads, trees or electric overhead lines.

This can create slippery surfaces on roads and pavements, causing hazardous conditions and significant disruption to motorways and transport services.

Freezing rain can even damage overhead lines because the ice that forms on them makes them heavier. The added weight can cause the lines to sag or even snap, leading to damage or power outages.

More common in the US and other parts of the world, freezing rain is quite rare in the UK and happens less frequently than other types of winter weather like snow.

Freezing rain is very different to normal rain because normal rain falls as liquid water - even when temperatures are below freezing - and it doesn't freeze on contact.

Freezing rain forms when rain falls through cold air and freezes when it touches surfaces, turning into ice. This results in ice-covered roads and objects, making it much more dangerous than regular rain.

It’s also different to sleet, which starts as snowflakes but melts into raindrops as it falls through warmer air. It then re-freezes into small pellets of ice before hitting the ground.

The Met Office says people are being warned to expect 'severe' travel disruptions, power outages