SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/ifr-icing-temp-range

Most aircraft icing is reported within which outside air temperature range?

0 to minus 20 degrees C.

Start playing free

  1. 0 to plus 10 degrees C
  2. Minus 20 to minus 40 degrees C
  3. 0 to minus 20 degrees C ✔

Why: Supercooled liquid water is plentiful from 0 down to about minus 20 degrees C. In colder clouds, ice crystals dominate and liquid water becomes scarce. Supercooled droplets freeze when they strike the airplane.

Huh, didn't know that: About half of all icing reports are between minus 8 and minus 12 degrees C.

The dad joke
How does a snowman get to work? By icicle!
Like this card?
Play the game

References

Answer: 0 to minus 20 degrees C. Supercooled liquid water is plentiful from 0 down to about minus 20 degrees C. In colder clouds, ice crystals dominate and liquid water becomes scarce. Supercooled droplets freeze when they strike the airplane.

  1. FAA Aviation Weather Handbook (FAA-H-8083-28B) www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/FAA-H-8083-28B.pdf
    almost all icing tends to occur in the temperature interval between 0°C and -20°C
    Checked 2026-10-11.
  2. FAA Aviation Weather Handbook (FAA-H-8083-28B) www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/FAA-H-8083-28B.pdf
    with about half of all reports occurring between -8°C and -12°C.
    Checked 2026-10-11.
  3. FAA Aviation Weather Handbook (FAA-H-8083-28B) www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/FAA-H-8083-28B.pdf
    The only physical cold limit to icing is at -40°C
    Checked 2026-10-11.

Think this answer is wrong? Tap "Challenge this answer" on the card in the game and tell us why.

Test yourself in the game

FlyingIce blocks a pitot tube's ram opening and its drain hole. What does the airspeed indicator do in a climb?FlyingStatic ports ice over at 5,000 feet and you climb to 7,000. What does the altimeter show?FlyingWhich description matches rime ice?

That's stuff everyone should know.