Abstract The potential of millimeter-wavelength radar-based Ice Water Content (IWC) estimation is demonstrated using a Ka-band Scanning Polarimetric Radar (KASPR) for the U.S northeast coast winter storms. Two IWC relations for Ka-band polarimetric radar measurements are proposed: one that uses a combination of the radar reflectivity Z and the estimated total number concentration of snow particles Nt and the other based on the joint use of Z, specific differential phase KDP, and the degree of riming frim. A key element of the algorithms is to obtain the “Rayleigh-equivalent” value of Z measured at Ka band, i.e., the corresponding Z at longer radar wavelength for which Rayleigh scattering takes place. This is achieved via polarimetric retrieval of the mean volume diameter Dm and incorporating the relationship between the dual wavelength ratio DWRS/Ka and Dm. Those techniques allow for retrievals from single millimeter-wavelength radar measurements and do not necessarily require the DWR measurements, if the DWR-Dm relation and Rayleigh assumption for Ka-band KDP are valid. Comparison between the quasi-vertical profile product obtained from KASPR and the columnar vertical profile product generated from the nearby WSR-88D S-band radar measurements demonstrates that the DWRS/Ka can be estimated from the two close radars without the need for collocated radar beams and synchronized antenna scanning and can be used for determining the “Rayleigh-equivalent” value of Z. The performance of the suggested techniques is evaluated for seven winter storms using surface disdrometer and snow accumulation measurements.