WX.............: SCT SN/SNRA, LATE NIL CENTRAL PARTS,
RISK LCA FG/FZFG
VIS............: +10KM, LCA 2-7KM IN WX,LCA 0100-1000 M IN FG/FZFG
CLD............: FEW-SCT 1000-1500FT, SCT-BKN 1500-5000FT,
LCA BKN/VV 0800-1500FT IN WX,
LCA VV002-009 IN FG/FZFG
0-ISOTHERM.....: SFC-1000FT, BECMG SFC-2000FT
ICE............: FBL/MOD, LOC MOD, LATE BECMG FBL/NIL
This is from today's IGA prognosis at the western part of Norway.
It is forecast icing conditions, but we are still flying VFR ops with 350's. The crew reported light icing in snowshowers on the last trip, but went out again.
One has to fly in visible moisture to get ice, unless we talk about carb.ice. That's another story.
But if you push it, and hover in light fog in minus-degrees, you may get icing very quick! There have been a few accidents because of that.
One R-22 was doing run-up in light freezing fog, and when they were ready to depart, they couldn't get the heli in the air. They shut down again, and revealed a lot of ice on the blades.... What they were supposed to do, flying in freezing fog, is another question....
A 350 flew in -20 c in Northern Norway, blue skies. They were to drop of some workers in the bush, and there was light fog at the landingsite. They landed, let of the passengers, and took off again. They didn't get enough lift, and crashed a couple of hundred meters away. They got icing during the short ground stop.
We are very aware of the OAT during the winter when there's visible moisture. As some has pointed out, ice on the wipers is a good indicator.
