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

    The impact of freezing rain on apples

09:01
3 January 2023

A rare surprise in nature
The impact of freezing rain on apples

Privacy Policy

Have you ever seen or heard of such a thing called a "ghost apple"? If not, you are not the only one.

This type of phenomena is extremely rare and was last seen in Michigan, USA, in February 2019. On this occasion, the ghost apples were spotted when a farmer, Andrew Sietsema, started pruning his apple trees.

This was spotted the night after freezing rain covered his orchard in the Fruit Ridge area of Kent County, Michigan, in ice. We recently had freezing rain in December in the UK and Ireland, though there were no reports of this!

Sietsema said freezing rain had engulfed his rotting apples leaving them with an icy shell. Upon pruning the trees, while some apples fell to the ground, the rotting mush of others simply slipped out of the bottom of the hollow icy shell leaving behind the ghost apple.

Have you ever witnessed freezing rain? It produces very hazardous conditions, but is beautiful to see as it coats the surroundings. You can send in your pictures via our uploader for us to share!

Weather & Radar editorial team
More on the topic
An eventful week on camera. Your weather - Your shots. . . Sunday 16 August 2026
Split image showing a golden sunset reflecting across calm sea on the left and a rugged mountain rising above green vegetation and water beneath broken clouds on the right.
Sunday 16 August 2026

Your weather - Your shots

An eventful week on camera
Chance of thundery showers breaking out. Over the coming days. . . Tuesday 18 August 2026
Split weather graphic showing a yellow thunderstorm warning across eastern England alongside radar with heavy showers and lightning near Sheffield, Leicester and East Anglia.
Tuesday 18 August 2026

Over the coming days

Chance of thundery showers breaking out
Severe weather risk in holiday spots. Hail and heavy rain. . . Wednesday 19 August 2026
Split weather graphic showing intense thunderstorms and widespread lightning across northern Italy and Switzerland on the left, with severe warning zones from yellow to red around Milan and the southern Alps on the right.
Wednesday 19 August 2026

Hail and heavy rain

Severe weather risk in holiday spots
All weather news
This might also interest you
Bright and warm conditions take hold. Spring-like outlook. . . Thursday 23 April 2026
Split UK map showing warm temperatures up to 21 degrees in orange on the left and clear sunny conditions with temperatures from 12 to 18 degrees on the right, with sun icons across the country.
Thursday 23 April 2026

Spring-like outlook

Bright and warm conditions take hold
Long-term trends need a pinch of salt. 40 °C in July?. . . Tuesday 30 June 2026
Temperature radar of 2022 heatwave where the all-time temperature record in the UK was set. Warning symbol overlain.
Tuesday 30 June 2026

40 °C in July?

Long-term trends need a pinch of salt
Turbulent weather in the Canary Islands. Storm and rain. . . Friday 12 December 2025
Weather graphic showing rain and wind fields over the Canary Islands and a central warning symbol.
Friday 12 December 2025

Storm and rain

Turbulent weather in the Canary Islands
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

facebooktwitteryouTubelinkList