"It's called 'black ice' because it tends to look like the rest of the pavement on the road, although in reality, it's actually clear," the US Forest Service notes. "Black ice forms without creating bubbles, which allows it to blend in with any surface it forms over. Black ice is dangerous precisely because it's hard to detect."

Public officials urged Houston-area drivers to stay off the roads Wednesday after melted snow refroze overnight, leaving black ice on roadways.