Just how effective is salt at melting ice on roads in below-freezing temperatures?

DETROIT – A lot of salt was applied to Metro Detroit roads Wednesday morning and it worked effectively to keep the commute smooth for many drivers.

Temperatures Wednesday morning played a big role in why salt worked so effectively. So, how effective is salt when the temperatures drop?

A single pound of salt will melt 46 pounds of ice when temperatures are 30 degrees or above. The effectiveness of salt starts diminishing rapidly as the temperature gets colder.

If temperatures get down below 15 degrees at night the salt works so slowly that it is basically ineffective. During the daytime, salt will still work because solar radiation gets through even if there are clouds. It may work a little slower than usual, but it will still work.

Read: Road salt is bad for the environment: What are some alternatives?

Read more: When does salt work, and when does it not?