Local News
Watch for Black Ice on Roads
It’s not just the cold that’s posing a risk over the next
few days, it’s the potential for black ice on area roads. State transportation
officials say black ice forms when melting snow refreezes on roads and bridges.
It most commonly occurs in the overnight and early morning, but with the bitter
cold and potential for blowing snow in the forecast through Friday morning, the
potential for black ice also exists in the daylight. Crews have been out treating
the roads, but rock salt takes longer to gain effectiveness in the extreme
cold. The Wisconsin State Patrol asks drivers to slow down, give additional
space to other traffic and take additional time to stop, or to avoid travel if
possible. The most common spots where black ice can form are underpasses, under
the shade of trees, at intersections or on interchange ramps.