How does freezing rain form?
Reference: Musée du Haut-Richelieu
This diagram explains the phenomenon of formation of freezing rain. While the air is cold in the clouds, it snows. When a hot current (illustrated by the red line) seeps under the clouds following the mountains, the precipitation that we see is rain. When it comes into contact with the cold soil (symbolized by the turquoise line), the rain freezes again and turns into ice.