DALLAS — Freezing rain may look harmless ... sometimes even beautiful. But it is one of the most dangerous winter weather phenomena. Unlike snow or sleet, freezing rain adds weight, and a shocking amount of it, to everything it clings on to.

Freezing rain can cause ice to accumulate on tree branches and power lines and thus poses a greater risk than snow

From nearly invisible black ice to freezing rain and sleet, here's how common winter weather hazards form, why they're so dangerous.

Meteorologist Elliot Wilson talks about freezing rain and how it forms. He also talks about what impacts we can expect around our area this weekend.

Mississippi is bracing for a major winter storm this weekend and freezing rain could be among the worst impacts.

Meteorologist Ava Marie explains how sleet and freezing rain can form amid the coldest air up above, warm air beneath that, and cold air at the surface.

Snow transitioned to sleet for most of the D.C. area by Sunday afternoon. Several more hours of mixed precipitation is expected throughout the evening – including freezing rain for areas to the south and east.

Follow along with this blog, where we will be sharing news, videos, photos, and social media posts about the winter storm.

A glaze of ice is starting to coat areas in the Piedmont Triad. The impacts of the storm are expected to continue into next week as bitterly cold temperatures linger.

The Anchorage School District has closed schools Thursday due to freezing rain and hazardous road conditions, according to an online statement. Anchorage and much of the Kenai Peninsula are under a winter weather advisory until 1 a.m. Friday. It calls for ice accumulations around one-tenth of an inch.

The storm during the Jan. 24-25 weekend can bring up to 18 inches of snow and possibly more to New Jersey. But sleet and freezing rain will move in on Sunday.