Airline Pilot Central Forums - IFR above freezing level

Quote:

Originally Posted by snippercr (Post 284595)

Thanks for all the input so far guys.

So riddle me this...I wanted to go IFR today. Temp/dew was 02/01 visiblity was 2sm, cig was ovc at 600 feet. Lovely weather to gather some actual instrument time!
However, using the 2deg/1000 feet, that means once I climb 1000 feet, I will be at the freezing level. Does this constitute known icing conditions both in the aspect of safety and legality?
aviationweather doesnt show any air/sigmets for icing over the area nor where there any pireps of any type of icing.
What do I Make of that? Is it best that I didnt go or given the lack of pireps/forcasted ice should I have gone as long as I had safety outs (a general consensus here).
Edit: Incidentally I checked the winds aloft and temps showed +C all the way up to over 6000 feet. I am confused... would this be a temperature inversion since its actually warmer above us? See previous metar.

I have noticed here (also in the midwest) that there has been a pretty constant temperature inversion here lately, and when there has been clouds/haze/fog the inversion has kept the clouds fairly low.

If there are no airmet/sigmet or pireps for the area then there is no KNOWN icing for that area. But flying in this has alot to do with what your comfort level is. Like the others have said also is that you need to have a plan in case you do pick up ice. I have picked up ice in VFR conditions over indianapolis at 43 Deg. F at 3000ft. If there is visible moisture dont assume that the temp has to be at or below freezing. Just make sure you know what you are going to do if you start picking up ice.