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What to Do During a Winter Storm
| During a Winter Storm WATCH |
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- Listen to a NOAA Weather radio, or local radio or television station for updated information. Local authorities will provide you with the best information for your particular situation.
You can also check the internet for the latest information at
http://www.weather.gov
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Be aware of changing weather conditions. Severe weather
can happen quickly. Temperatures may drop rapidly, winds may increase
or snow may fall at heavier rates. What is happening where you are may
not agree with forecasts for the general area.
- Move animals to sheltered areas. Have a water supply available. Most animal deaths in winter storms are from dehydration.
- Avoid unnecessary travel. Your safest place during a
winter storm is indoors. About 70 percent of winter deaths related to
ice and snow occur in automobiles (or snow machines).
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| During a Winter Storm WARNING |
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- Stay indoors and dress warmly. Wearing layers of
loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing will keep you warmer than one
bulky sweater. Remove layers to avoid overheating, perspiration and
subsequent chill.
- Listen to a battery-powered radio or television for updated emergency information. If the power goes out, you will still have access to important information.
- Eat regularly. Food provides the body with energy for producing its own heat.
- Keep the body replenished with fluids to prevent dehydration.
Drink liquids such as warm broth or juices. Avoid caffeine and alcohol.
Caffeine, a stimulant, accelerates the symptoms of hypothermia. Alcohol
is a depressant and hastens the effects of cold on the body. Alcohol
also slows circulation and can make you less aware of the effects of
cold. Both caffeine and alcohol can cause dehydration.
- Conserve fuel. Winter storms can last for several
days. Great demand may be placed on electricity and fuel distribution
systems. Suppliers of propane and fuel oil may not be able to replenish
depleted supplies during severe weather. Close off unused rooms, and
stuff rags or towels in cracks under doors. Cover windows at night.
Consider lowering the thermostat at night and during the day when you
are not home.
- If you must go outside, protect yourself from winter weather hazards.
- Wear layered clothing, mittens or gloves, and a hat.
Layering clothes will keep you warmer than a single heavy coat. Outer
garments should be tightly woven and water repellent. Mittens or gloves
and a hat will prevent loss of body heat. Mittens are warmer than
gloves because fingers maintain more warmth when they touch each other.
Half of your body heat loss occurs from the head.
- Cover your mouth to protect your lungs from extremely cold air. Avoid taking deep breaths; minimize talking.
- Watch for signs of hypothermia and frostbite. Frostbite
is a severe reaction to cold exposure that can cause permanent harm to
people. A loss of feeling and a white or pale appearance in fingers,
toes, nose, or earlobes are symptoms of frostbite. Hypothermia is a
condition brought on when the body temperature drops to less than 95
degrees F. Symptoms of hypothermia include uncontrollable shivering,
slow speech, memory lapses, frequent stumbling, drowsiness, and
exhaustion. Hypothermia is not always fatal, but for those who survive
there are likely to be lasting kidney, liver, and pancreas problems.
(For information about treating these conditions, refer to the box
below.)
- Keep Dry. Change wet clothing frequently to prevent a
loss of body heat. Wet clothing loses much of its insulating value and
transmits heat rapidly away from the body.
- Stretch before you go out. If you go out to shovel
snow, do a few stretching exercises to warm up your body. This will
reduce your chances of muscle injury.
- Avoid overexertion, such as shoveling heavy snow, pushing a car or walking in deep snow. The strain from the cold and the hard labor may cause a heart attack. Sweating could lead to a chill and hypothermia.
- Walk carefully on snowy, icy sidewalks. Slips and falls occur frequently in winter weather, resulting in painful and sometimes disabling injury.
- If you must go out during a winter storm, use public transportation if possible. About 70 percent of winter deaths in the U.S. related to ice and snow occur in automobiles.
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| After a Winter Storm |
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- Continue listening to local radio or television stations or NOAA Weather Radio for updated information and instructions. Access may be limited to some parts of the community, or roads may be blocked.
- Help a neighbor who may require special assistance: infants, elderly people, and people with disabilities.
- Avoid driving and other travel until conditions have improved. Roads may be blocked by snow or emergency vehicles.
- Avoid overexertion. Heart attacks from shoveling heavy snow are a leading cause of deaths during the winter.
- Follow forecasts and be prepared when venturing outside. Major winter storms are often followed by even colder conditions.
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www.weather.gov 
