Black ice

Rain and cold make it dangerous again

If rain falls on supercooled structures - like a car here - black ice forms. It is extremely dangerous on roads.

(Bild: APA/HERBERT PFARRHOFER)

The Christmas vacations are over and Upper Austrians, young and old, have to get back out on the roads - to school, to work. And the weather is making it dangerous in places. Because the cold is only slowly receding and rain is always present - black ice cannot be ruled out.

The thick clouds have one big advantage: it doesn't cool down as much, but the temperatures in the valley are also heading towards freezing. A front will bring snow and rain, and black ice is to be expected on the first day after the vacations, especially in the morning. It won't be dry away from the mountains until the afternoon and even the sun will be able to fight its way through here and there.

Wednesday will be a similar story: Precipitation moves through and as temperatures hover around freezing, the precipitation may pick up.

Interplay of cold and light thaw
Thursday morning will be similar, but warmer and therefore less risk of black ice from the current perspective. In the evening, a cold front with a storm and wind from the west will make it uncomfortable and the snow will fall down into the valley. The days that follow will again be an interplay of cold and, in some cases, light thaw - again ideal for ice on the roads. So the motto is: watch out all week.

If there's no other way: drive slowly
In the event of black ice, traffic experts recommend taking particular care when driving through forests or on bridges. If possible, leave the car parked. If a journey cannot be postponed: Drive even slower, increase the distance to the vehicle in front, avoid any unnecessary steering movements and pay particular attention to the road surface to see if it "reflects".