An apparatus for heating a structure during frozen precipitation, the apparatus comprising: heating means (16, 17) located near the structure for heating the structure; a control unit connected to the heating means (16, 17) for controlling operation of the heating means (16, 17); and a frozen precipitation forecast sensor that is in communication with the control unit, wherein the frozen precipitation forecast sensor comprises one or more programmed processors that program the frozen precipitation forecast sensor to: receive, over a time frame, weather data for a geographic region of the structure; determine, at time instances during the time frame, whether there is a likelihood of frozen precipitation in a geographic zone around the structure based on the received weather data; and transmit command signals to the control unit based on the determinations of whether there is a likelihood of frozen precipitation in the geographic zone around the structure, wherein the command signals comprise command signals for the operational state of the heating means (16, 17), and wherein the control unit controls the heating means based on the command signals transmitted by the frozen precipitation forecast sensor, and. wherein: upon a determination that there is a likelihood of frozen precipitation in the geographic zone around the structure, the frozen precipitation forecast sensor transmits a first command signal to the control unit that the heating means (16, 17) should be in an ON state; upon a determination that there is not a likelihood of frozen precipitation in a geographic zone around the structure, the frozen precipitation forecast sensor transmits a second command signal to the control unit that the heating means (16, 17) should be in an OFF state; and characterised in that the control unit is configured, when the frozen precipitation sensor determines that a frozen precipitation is expected, to commence heat generation by controlling the heating means (16, 17) so that the heating means can reach a desired temperature before a frozen precipitation event starts. heating means (16, 17) located near the structure for heating the structure; a control unit connected to the heating means (16, 17) for controlling operation of the heating means (16, 17); and a frozen precipitation forecast sensor that is in communication with the control unit, wherein the frozen precipitation forecast sensor comprises one or more programmed processors that program the frozen precipitation forecast sensor to: receive, over a time frame, weather data for a geographic region of the structure; determine, at time instances during the time frame, whether there is a likelihood of frozen precipitation in a geographic zone around the structure based on the received weather data; and transmit command signals to the control unit based on the determinations of whether there is a likelihood of frozen precipitation in the geographic zone around the structure, wherein the command signals comprise command signals for the operational state of the heating means (16, 17), and wherein the control unit controls the heating means based on the command signals transmitted by the frozen precipitation forecast sensor, and. receive, over a time frame, weather data for a geographic region of the structure; determine, at time instances during the time frame, whether there is a likelihood of frozen precipitation in a geographic zone around the structure based on the received weather data; and transmit command signals to the control unit based on the determinations of whether there is a likelihood of frozen precipitation in the geographic zone around the structure, wherein the command signals comprise command signals for the operational state of the heating means (16, 17), and wherein the control unit controls the heating means based on the command signals transmitted by the frozen precipitation forecast sensor, and. wherein: upon a determination that there is a likelihood of frozen precipitation in the geographic zone around the structure, the frozen precipitation forecast sensor transmits a first command signal to the control unit that the heating means (16, 17) should be in an ON state; upon a determination that there is not a likelihood of frozen precipitation in a geographic zone around the structure, the frozen precipitation forecast sensor transmits a second command signal to the control unit that the heating means (16, 17) should be in an OFF state; and characterised in that the control unit is configured, when the frozen precipitation sensor determines that a frozen precipitation is expected, to commence heat generation by controlling the heating means (16, 17) so that the heating means can reach a desired temperature before a frozen precipitation event starts. upon a determination that there is a likelihood of frozen precipitation in the geographic zone around the structure, the frozen precipitation forecast sensor transmits a first command signal to the control unit that the heating means (16, 17) should be in an ON state; upon a determination that there is not a likelihood of frozen precipitation in a geographic zone around the structure, the frozen precipitation forecast sensor transmits a second command signal to the control unit that the heating means (16, 17) should be in an OFF state; and characterised in that the control unit is configured, when the frozen precipitation sensor determines that a frozen precipitation is expected, to commence heat generation by controlling the heating means (16, 17) so that the heating means can reach a desired temperature before a frozen precipitation event starts.