Based on the surface meteorology observation data, weather phenomena records, and radiosonde data, the circulation backgrounds of freezing rainfall in Hubei from 1998 to 2014 are analyzed, and the characteristics of variations of meteorological elements and atmospheric stratifications are summarized. The discrimination criteria of freezing rain weather based on the relationships between positive and negative energy areas are given. The results show that the Urals blocking high and Lake Baikal blocking high are two major circulation patterns leading to the occurrence of freezing rainfall in Hubei Province. There are mainly three variation patterns of temperature stratification, in which the pattern of the transmission from warm rainfall to freezing rainfall then to solid precipitation has the longest duration and the largest influenced area. As for the discrimination criteria based on positive/negative energy for the occurrence of freezing rainfall: when there are the threelayer stratification, the positive energy area (ASP) is less than 80 ℃〖DK〗·hPa and negative energy area (ASN) is less than 400 ℃〖DK〗·hPa and there is the relationship between ASP and ASN of (5.71ASP-257.14)≤ASN≤(6.25ASP+200); when there is the twolayer stratification, ASP is 350 to 650 ℃〖DK〗·hPa, and ASN is 200 to 400 ℃〖DK〗·hPa, and there is the relationship between ASP and ASN of (ASP-350)≤ASN≤(ASP-100).