Ice Storms: Not as Cool as They Seem

Abstract

Ice storms might sound fascinating, but for forests, they are not as cool as they seem! Ice storms happen when freezing rain coats trees, branches, and the forest floor in a shiny, frozen glaze. These storms can be a big deal because they can affect our forests and the things we care about, like, wood, wildlife, and places for recreation. Despite this, we do not know very much about how ice storms affect forests. Scientists at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, New Hampshire (USA), decided to learn more. They used fire-fighting pumps and hoses to create experimental ice storms in the forest during the winters of 2016 and 2017. They found that these experimental storms caused a lot of short- and long-term damage to trees, including breaking of twigs and branches. In a nutshell, ice storms are not just about frozen beauty—they have real consequences for our forests and species that are not used to ice!