Winter Weather

Winter Weather Safety

Winter storms have various impacts on society whether it be heavy snow, sleet, or freezing rain leading to a crippling ice storm. It is the time of year where the most hazardous travel occurs on slick roadways and power outages due to the weight of the snow or ice. Followed by the silent killer of extreme cold in the heart of winter. Follow these safety tips to keep you and your family safe during the winter!

Winter Weather Alerts

*Disclaimer: These alerts may vary from location to location with different thresholds being met.

How Winter Storms Form

Cold Air: Snow and ice need temperatures to be below freezing in the clouds and at the surface.

Moisture: An excellent source of moisture comes from large bodies of water like the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, or Gulf of Mexico.

Lift: Lift forces warm, moist air to rise, which forms clouds and precipitation. Below are examples of lift:

Before A Winter Storm

Before a winter storm occurs, it's always important to be prepared for the worst because you may never know what could happen. When a Winter Storm Watch is issued, it means to BE PREPARED! This is the time to gather your supplies, communicate with your family about a plan, check on neighbors and friends, and stay tuned to your local weather forecast for continuous updates.

At Home and Work

The main concern is when the power goes out and there is a loss of heat, electricity, and telephone services leading to a shortage of supplies if the winter storm continues for several days. This is why you should have the following to be prepared for if the power goes out:

Flashlight and extra batteries.

Battery-powered NOAA Weather Radio and a portable radio to receive emergency alerts.

Extra non-perishable food and water. Food allows the body to stay warm and with the cold, dry air it's important to stay hydrated. If the power goes out, you want to stock up on non-perishable food that won't go bad.

Extra medicine, baby items, and hygiene necessities.

First-aid kit.

Heating fuel.

Emergency Heating Source. Such as a fireplace, space heater, and wood stove. However, it is essential to keep heating sources away from ignitions to prevent fires and limit use and ventilate properly to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.

Make sure your pets have plenty of food and water and are indoors.

In Your Vehicle

If you are on the road before a winter storm hits and the conditions rapidly deteriorate, it is important to prepare your vehicle as well:

Fill up your gas tank.

Fully Check and winterize your vehicle before winter even begins.

Let someone know where you are going and when you plan on coming back.

Carry a WINTER STORM SURVIVAL KIT:

Flashlight with extra batteries
First-aid-kit
Extra blankets/sleeping bags
Extra clothing to keep dry
Salt or sand/ cat litter to help with snow melt and traction
Car scraper and snow shovel
Jumper cables or battery pack
Tool kit
Fire Starters, lighters, or matches.
Non-perishable food and water
Large empty can for emergency bathroom needs and tissues or paper towels
Mobile phone, charger, and batteries
Compass and road maps
Tow rope

On the Farm/Pets

Make sure to move all animals and pets to sheltered areas. Shelter belts that are laid out properly oriented give better protection for cattle than confined shelters such as sheds.

Transport extra food to nearby feeding areas.

Have water available to keep animals hydrated. Cold air is very dry and can cause dehydration to several animals and lead to death.

It is important for all animals to have adequate food, water, and shelter just like their human counterparts.

During a Winter Storm

Now let's say the Winter Storm Watch was upgraded to a Winter Storm Warning. This means TAKE ACTION! If you find yourself ever caught during a winter storm and have no idea what you should do, the following safety tips are here to help keep you safe to help protect, mitigate, and stay safe during such harsh conditions that can cause the body to shutdown.

Outside

Find a Nearby Shelter to stay dry and cover all exposed skin.

If there is no shelter:

Build an igloo or snow cave outside to shelter you from the wind. Wind causes you to feel much colder.
Build a fire to stay warm if you can and to signal for help. If there are any nearby rocks, place them around the fire to absorb and reflect the heat.
Melt snow for drinking water. Make sure to stay away from that yellow stuff and gather clean, fresh snow. DO NOT eat snow as is since that will lower your body temperature.

In Your Vehicle

Stay in your vehicle! You don't want to risk frostbite and hypothermia in the cold and snow:

DO NOT keep the heat on. Only run the heat and engine for 10 minutes at a time each hour.
Open the window slightly for fresh air and to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
Make sure your exhaust pipe is not blocked.

Stay visible for first responders:

Make sure the light inside your car is on to make you more visible.
Tie a red colored cloth, or if you do not have red, a bright colored cloth to your antenna or door.
Raise the hood of your car and waive for help once the snow stopped falling.

Exercise:

To keep your body warm, wiggle your arms and legs vigorously as well as your toes and fingers to keep the blood circulating in your body.

Inside

Stay Inside:

Make sure your alternative heating source is properly vented and you are following fire safety.

If the Power is Out:

Close all doors and put towels underneath the cracks of your doors.
Ensure that all curtains are closed to keep the house insulated from outside cold air.
Gather extra blankets and bundle up with layers of dry, lightweight, loose-fit clothing.
Eat and drink as it provides fuel and energy for the body as well as a heat source.

After a Winter Storm

Many people don't realize that even after a winter storm passes, there will still be prolonged impacts depending on the duration and intensity of the storm. If temperatures rise and rain falls afterwards, snow can melt and lead to dangerous flooding of rivers and creeks, road conditions may still be covered, and power may still need restored. The following safety tips will help guide you on the road to recovery.

Call 511 or go online to your state's 511 website to check road conditions.

The National Weather Service has developed the Winter Storm Severity Index (WSSI) for probability of potential winter storm impacts taking into account snow amount, snow load, ice accumulation, and blowing snow.

Snow Squall Warning

Blizzard Warning

What is the Difference?

Essentially, the difference is in duration. Snow squalls can happen very rapidly and create reduced visibilities and whiteout conditions much like blizzards, but only last less than 60 minutes. They are most common along arctic cold fronts. Whereas a blizzard, you must have a sustained wind speed of 35 mph or greater with a quarter mile visibility or less for at least three hours.

Ice Storms

Ice storms are the most dangerous as snowflakes melt into a deep warm layer above the ground and refreeze upon contact at the cold surface. This creates ice accretion all over powerlines, trees, roads, and infrastructure. Depending on how much ice that falls, it can cause hazardous road conditions, widespread power outages, and damages to trees due to the weight of the accumulating ice. When a quarter of an inch or more of ice is expected, the NWS will issue an Ice Storm Warning. Furthermore, always be aware of the dangers of black ice, ice jams, and ice recreation. Learn more by clicking through the graphics.

Extreme Cold

A silent killer in the winter is extreme cold, which is why it is important to bundle up and cover all exposed skin including toes, fingers, and ears to prevent diseases like frostbite or hypothermia from forming. Hypothermia and frostbite are completely preventable as long as you take the necessary precautions below and recognize the signs.

*Disclaimer: These alerts may vary from location to location with different thresholds being met.

Cold Weather Advisory

Not as extreme as an extreme cold watch or warning, but can still be dangerous cold that is inconvenient to exposed skin.

Extreme Cold Watch

Dangerous cold is possible and time outdoors should be limited.

Extreme Cold Warning

Dangerous life-threatening cold is imminent and necessary precautions should be taken seriously.

Frostbite

Hypothermia

Frostbite impacts the underlying tissues with the primary danger being tissue freezing such as numbness, loss of color, and possible amputation. On the other hand, hypothermia deals with the core body temperature with the primary danger being organ failure, loss of consciousness, and death. However, all of these dangers can be preventable!

Wind Chill

Wind chill is a measure of how cold the air feels on the human skin due to the combination of cold temperatures and wind speed. As wind increases, it removes body heat faster, causing skin temperatures to drop and increasing the risk of frostbite and hypothermia.