Amazing how everyone is such an expert! (Especially on the thread about the diversions). How many of the experts work on airfields and faced the specific problems?
I work on an airfield. I have some working knowledge of the current supplies of de-icing fluids and solids availalbe. There are currently only three suppliers of liquid with a longer holdover time than the cheaper varieties and the cost differential of these three is not great.
On Wednesday the airfield was fully de-iced - no expense spared - and NOTHING "watered - down" (what a fatuous comment to suggest this). Snow was forecast. It came, the de-icer held. But the Met Forecasters never forecast the heavy rain that came and removed all the de-icer in a mere 15 minutes.
You do not then go out in the middle of a downpour and apply de-icing fluid. The heavy rain turned to thick wet snow and temp dropped from above freezing to below in minutes. No de-icing fluid, heavy wet precipitation and sub zero temps which lead to glazed ice.
Well please tell me Mr. Gritter Tsar - how do you remove that!
I don't think these weather conditions are typical of North American nor Continental conditions, however, if someone out there can tell how;
a)you prevent the glazed ice forming under these conditions, or b)a rapid (and feasible) method of removal, please do enlighten us.