The most important part of the turfgrass plant regarding survival is the crown, or growing point. Ice forming outside cells inside the crown is common and usually not harmful. It can become an issue, primarily in warm season grasses, like bermudagrass, when temperatures are very cold for extended periods of time. This forces water inside cells to exit toward the ice. Too much water leaving the cells will cause dehydration, which can cause the crown to die.
In the central US we don’t deal with extended periods of ice cover on turf. Ice cover can result from sleet, freezing rain or snow melting and refreezing. Being under ice cover for more than 60 days can start to cause issues with lack of oxygen and/or accumulation of toxic gases under the ice.
We do see ice develop on leaf surfaces of turfgrasses, otherwise known as frost. Cool-season grasses tolerate frost on leaves just fine. Warm-season grasses don’t like frost and will often go dormant shortly have the first hard frost in the fall. Foot traffic on frozen turf can cause problems as ice crystals are pushed through the leaf surface and punctures cells causing them to collapse. The result is often brown patches of turf where the foot traffic was present.
Protect your lawn by avoiding walking on it when frost is present. Also keep tools such as mowers, wheelbarrows and carts off the grass during these conditions. (Jack Fry)