What is an important factor in determining the severity of icing conditions?

The severity of icing conditions is significantly influenced by both humidity and temperature. When evaluating icing potential, humidity plays a critical role because the presence of moisture in the atmosphere increases the likelihood of ice forming on aircraft surfaces. High humidity conditions mean there is more water available to freeze upon contact with the aircraft.

Temperature is equally crucial since it determines the state of water in the atmosphere. Icing typically occurs when the temperature is at or below freezing, leading to the formation of ice either from supercooled liquid water droplets or from the freezing of ice crystals in clouds.

Both factors combined create a more comprehensive understanding of the potential for icing. For instance, high humidity levels at temperatures around the freezing point would likely result in significant icing compared to lower humidity levels under similar temperatures. Thus, assessing both humidity and temperature is essential for pilots and meteorologists in predicting icing severity accurately.