Freezing Rain Explained: What It Is and Why It Forms In this WeatherScene deep dive, we explain what freezing rain is and why it can be one of the most dangerous types of winter weather. Using a clear step by step breakdown, we look at how precipitation starts as snow, melts into rain in a warm layer of air, and then becomes supercooled as it falls into colder air near the surface. This video explains why freezing rain freezes instantly on contact, creating invisible ice on roads, pavements, tre