How should heavy, freezing rain be encoded in column 9?

Heavy, freezing rain is encoded in column 9 with the notation +FZRS. This notation indicates both the intensity and the type of precipitation. The plus sign (+) before FZRS signifies that the freezing rain is occurring at a heavy intensity. In this context, "FZRS" denotes freezing rain, with the "S" typically indicating that it is of significant intensity or duration.

While the other options might represent variations of freezing rain, they do not encapsulate the required intensity. For example, FZRA simply describes freezing rain without the intensity indication, and FZRS, though it specifies freezing rain, does not include the severity detail that +FZRS does. The option +FRZ is also incorrect because it does not align with the established encoding conventions for reporting types of precipitation in aviation weather reporting systems. Thus, the notation +FZRS is the most precise and appropriate way to encode heavy, freezing rain in column 9.