Nucleation

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Nucleation is a crystallization process. Water needs a solid point to freeze into ice, so pure water drops do not freeze. Once they touch the surface, the drops start freezing immediately.

[1]

Most cloud and fog drops do not freeze at 0°C; they supercool, and remain liquid. Supercooled drops are metastable, they do not freeze unless they strike objects or encounter a freezing nuclei such as an ice crystal. [2]

References

  1. Pruppacher, H. R. et al. (1998) Microphysics of Clouds and Precipitation. Aerosol Science and Technology. [Online] 28 (4), 381–382.
  2. Charles C. Ryerson. April 2013. Icing Management for Coast Guard Assets. Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory. ERDC/ C R R E L TR-13-7.