Icy start to the morning

By adamg on Thu, 11/21/2019 - 9:17am

Alexis Deise reported shortly before 8 a.m. that "all that glitters is... ice," along Fort Point Channel.

NBC Boston reports multiple car crashes in the Boston area due to black ice.

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Comments

Youch!

By mplo
Thu, 11/21/2019 - 10:17am

The fact that there were a lot of crashes earlier this morning is not at all surprising, given the fact that Fort Point Channel, and the city of Boston, generally, is so close to the water, and because people tend to drive too fast for existing conditions, generally.

Sorry for the possible (icy) slip-up

By adamg
Thu, 11/21/2019 - 12:15pm

Don't worry: Nobody was plunging into Fort Point Channel this morning. The photo is just an interesting shot (well, I thought so, anyway), but the news story that follows is about crashes on roads all over the Boston area, save along Fort Point Channel.

Thanks, Adam.

By mplo
Thu, 11/21/2019 - 1:58pm

I immediately figured that nobody was plunging into the icy waters of the Fort Point Channel this morning. The photo is interesting, due to the coating of black ice on the pier.

I realized that the news story that follows is about crashes on roads all over the Boston area, and that it's not surprising that they occurred, given that people often drive too fast for existing conditions around Boston, and that this is the first ice-up of the season.

Where did you take science?

By anon
Thu, 11/21/2019 - 1:43pm

Salt water freezes at a much lower temperature than fresh water.

Boston is near the water ... much of that is salt water.

Also, the warmth stored in the ocean means that Boston is one of the warmer places around, and will likely freeze last.

Yeah, there was left over rainfall and then that froze in many places, but please understand that it had nothing to do with being near the water.

Also not to mention that

By MRM
Thu, 11/21/2019 - 7:37pm

Also not to mention that black ice can cause you to lose control of your vehicle and cause a crash even at a low speed. The definition of the term tends to imply that it is quite difficult to see. This isn't like the roads were covered in an obvious sheet of ice and people are bombing down them at 80 mph.

Sincerely, a guy who did a sweet 360 on an entrance ramp this morning.