"Rich" wrote in
:

It seems the mid west is in the grip of an ice storm :-

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WEATHER/01/1...html?eref=rss_
topstories

I recall a similar event in the UK when large icicles were dropping
like spears from buildings and powerlines. Anyone know how frequently
this event occurs in the UK ?

According to Trevor Harley's wonderful site, there was one in SW England
in January 1982:

http://www.personal.dundee.ac.uk/~ta...82_weather.htm

It didn't get up as far as me (in Kidderminster at that time), and as far
as I remember (I was nearly seven!) we had a *lot* of snow instead, which
would seem to be borne out by TH's comment ("the Midlands and Wales had
30-50 cm of snow on the 8-9th with easterly gales"). I had relatives in
Bristol, and I don't *think* the ice got up as far as them either; I
remember them saying in December 1995 that they didn't remember freezing
rain on that scale in Bristol for many years.

--
Bewdley, Worcs. ~90m asl.