Experiments were conducted to understand the phenomena that happen just after a subcooled free-surface circular water jet impinges on a high temperature surface. A 2 mm-water-jet of 5-80 K subcooling and 3-15 m/s velocity was impinged on the flat surface of a cylindrical steel/brass block that was preheated to 500-600 degrees C. The transient temperature data were recorded and used to predict the surface temperature by an inverse heat conduction technique. A high-speed video camera was also employed to capture the flow condition. It is found that for a certain period of time the surface temperature remains well above the thermodynamic limiting temperature that allows stable solid-liquid contact. What happens during this period and what makes the surface temperature drop to the limiting temperature are important questions whose possible answers are given in this article. The cooling curves at the center of the impinging surface for different experimental conditions are also explained in relation with the limiting temperature and three characteristic regions having different types of flow patterns are identified. (C) 2007 Published by Elsevier Ltd.