Rime ice coats Sidney in a winter wonderland
Sidney residents woke up Wednesday to what looked like a scene out of the Disney movie, "Frozen."
By News Channel Nebraska
SIDNEY - Sidney residents woke up Wednesday to what looked like a scene out of the Disney movie, "Frozen."
Fog overnight and early Wednesday morning created rime ice on area surfaces, such as trees, fence lines and street signs, leaving to wonder if Elsa had left behind such a picturesque winter landscape.
WeatherEye Meteorologist Mandy Thalhuber says rime ice forms when supercooled water liquid droplets freeze immediately to surfaces.
"Cold air like this doesn't hold a lot of moisture, but whatever little bit of moisture we have, those water droplets are just freezing instantly onto any surface," Thalhuber said. "I think it's a little bit of a meteorological phenomenon. I actually think it's quite beautiful when it does happen. It paints a little bit of a pretty picture from mother nature."
The cold air is part of an arctic boundary front that's draped over the Nebraska panhandle region and it's not going anywhere, according to Thalhuber. She expects the cold temperatures to stick around until Feb. 16 or 17.
"Even just the slightest bit of wind and we're getting dangerous cold wind chills that actually could cause frostbite on exposed skin in less than 10 minutes," Thalhuber said. "We really have to take that into consideration if we need to go outside. Cover up, don't leave any exposed skin. Let's not forget about our animals - our livestock and our pets."
A wind chill advisory remains in effect in the Nebraska panhandle, except for Kimball County, until 11 a.m. Monday. The feel-like temperature could be as low as 30 degrees below zero.
Thalhuber says it's not uncommon to get arctic air surges in the winter, but the prolonged extreme cold temperatures is what's unique about this stalled front.
Sidney City Manager David Scott says they're not concerned about power outages at this point. However, he says residents should be mindful of water pipes that are prone to freezing and take precautions.
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