What type of icing is associated with Stratus Clouds?

Rime icing is primarily associated with stratus clouds due to the conditions in which these clouds typically form. Stratus clouds are low-altitude clouds that are often found in stable atmospheric conditions, where the temperature is relatively close to the dew point. When supercooled water droplets in these clouds come into contact with an object, such as an aircraft wing, they freeze instantly, creating rime icing.

Rime icing typically forms when the droplets are small and have a low kinetic energy, which allows them to freeze quickly upon contact with surfaces, creating a rough coating of ice. This type of icing is less dense and more opaque than clear icing, which is formed under different conditions, typically involving larger droplets found in cumuliform clouds or in other scenarios where updrafts are strong enough to keep droplets suspended in a liquid state. Thus, the characteristics of stratus clouds and the resulting icing phenomena lead directly to the correct identification of rime icing as the primary type of icing associated with these clouds.