Home
Weather London
WeatherRadar
RainfallRadar
TemperatureRadar
WindRadar
LightningRadar
Weather News
Editor's Pick
Discover the app
Weather widget
Contact us
Apps
Career
    Home / Editor's Pick /

    Your images: Icy window patterns

09:00
22 December 2022

Your images
Icy window patterns

Icy works of art on a windscreen in Portlaoise, Ireland.
Icy works of art on a windscreen in Portlaoise, Ireland. - © Kenneth Jones

Amidst the cold last week, our cars, amongst all else, became glittered with frost and ice.

There are two main reasons that you car might need scraping when it's cold out, and that's because of a hoar frost, or frozen dew.

We recently shared this article, explaining the differences between hoar frost and frozen dew, with the frozen dew variety known to produce dazzling works of art on our windscreens.

Kenneth Jones shared the above photo with us of the beautiful ice patterns on his windshield in Portlaoise, Ireland. Dave Edkins also shared his window in North Wales below. You can share your images with us too, via our dedicated uploader!

What causes these patterns?

Firstly, the temperature of the surface must be sub-zero, and there must also be the presence of moisture, but also tiny imperfections on the glass.

These imperfections may be specks of dust, salt, residue from your windscreen washer, or even small scratches, which then allow these patterns to form as they affect the way the ice crystals branch out.

Weather & Radar editorial team

More on the topic

Meteor shower peaks with mixed visibility. Better view Thursday. . . Wednesday, 11 November 2026
Split image showing a UK weather map with temperatures of 0–7°C and snow showers in Scotland, beside a bright meteor streak in a starry night sky.
Wednesday, 11 November 2026

Better view Thursday

Meteor shower peaks with mixed visibility
Further fog disruption expected. Growing dense overnight. . . Monday, 9 November 2026
Weather map showing widespread fog across the English Midlands, with a red fog warning symbol near Nottingham and temperatures of 4–6°C.
Monday, 9 November 2026

Growing dense overnight

Further fog disruption expected
Summer heat in the middle of November. Unusual temperatures. . . Tuesday, 10 November 2026
The weather map shows the temperatures in south-eastern Europe and the Mediterranean region. It is particularly warm in the Balkans: temperatures in Belgrade are reaching 25 degrees. A red arrow indicates that warm air is flowing from the central Mediterranean towards Serbia. In Italy, Greece and Romania, too, temperatures are above 20 degrees in many places. By contrast, it is significantly cooler in the Alps and in parts of Central Europe.
Tuesday, 10 November 2026

Unusual temperatures

Summer heat in the middle of November
All weather news

This might also interest you

A frozen start to the weekend. Icy conditions. . . Friday, 13 February 2026
UK temperature map dated 14.02 showing widespread subzero values in blue shading, with readings such as −4 in Glasgow, −3 in Dublin, and −2 in London, alongside a blue thermometer icon.
Friday, 13 February 2026

Icy conditions

A frozen start to the weekend
Flooding, gales, and heavy snow. Storm Chandra. . . Tuesday, 27 January 2026
Split image showing aerial flooding in a town with muddy water covering roads on the left, and a rural road on the right blocked by heavy snowfall with vans stopped and a person walking in snow.
Tuesday, 27 January 2026

Storm Chandra

Flooding, gales, and heavy snow
Storm Chandra makes impact. Severe gales & heavy rain. . . Tuesday, 27 January 2026
Split image showing strong winds over the UK on a forecast map and widespread rain and snow on a weather radar map.
Tuesday, 27 January 2026

Severe gales & heavy rain

Storm Chandra makes impact
All articles
Weather & Radar

Weather & Radar is also available on

Google Play StoreApp Store

Company

Contact us Privacy Policy Legal info Accessibility statement

Services

Uploader

Socials

facebooktwittertikToklinkList