Quote:
Originally Posted by 432bartman
............My question is, is there anyway to foresee a black ice condition, besides not driving while it's cold or snowing outside?.............
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In my experience..........no. Forecasting pavement temperatures and conditions is difficult but not impossible. When predicting black ice conditions you need to consider four major factors: air temperature, sun, moisture and the amount of heat beneath the pavement.
Black ice is particularly an issue where the weather may be too warm for snow, but the ground temperature is cold enough to convert rain or sleet into ice. The ground temperature can cause the precipitation to freeze upon impact, thus creating ice. Black ice can also be created from sleet or the refreezing of snow or water. It is extremely difficult to spot since it looks like asphalt. Black ice most often forms when temperatures are the lowest, typically between sunset and sunrise. During the day, the best thing to do before getting in your vehicle is to look at the pavement. If the pavement is dry but you are seeing spots of pavement that look dark and glossy, that is probably going to be black ice so its best to postpone travel.