CHAPTER SIX

BLIZZARDS AND OTHER WINTER-RELATED STORMS

Snowflakes. Credit: Florian.b, Wikimedia Commons.

Some veterans of big storms will laugh at those of us who line up in stores for supplies and groceries at the sign of the first little snowflake. But if we are about to endure a blizzard, ice storm, big snowstorm, or any storm that is not your garden-variety winter occurrence, then we feel justified for all that time spent in line at the grocery store. For all those other times when nary a snowflake fell, well, we plead guilty.

Big winter storms can shut down vast regions and entire cities. They can paralyze emergency response, cripple public transportation, halt utilities like power and water, cause travel closures making roads impassable, and cause whiteouts where you and you alone are responsible for you and your family’s safety until everything comes back online. Cold temperatures, power outages, wind, wind chill, exposure that can bring about frostbite or hypothermia, other injuries, and other deaths may occur from exposure, dangerous road conditions, and carbon monoxide poisoning and other conditions. The Great Plains of the United States tends to be the region that experiences blizzards most often, but if an area anywhere in America gets snow, a blizzard, ice storm, or big snowstorm are possibilities.

A winter storm brings a city to a near standstill. Credit: Chris Light, creativecommons.org licenses by-sa 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.

The Twin Cities during a winter storm. Credit: Tony Webster, creativecommons.org licenses by 2.0, Wikimedia Commons.

An ice storm in Tinton Falls, New Jersey. Credit: Shortynj, creativecommons.org licenses by 2.5, Wikimedia Commons.

The extreme conditions of blizzard and ice storm are born from winter storms. A winter storm occurs when there is significant precipitation and the temperature is low enough that precipitation forms as sleet or snow, or when rain turns to ice. A winter storm can range from freezing rain and ice, to moderate snowfall over a few hours, to heavy snowfall over a few days, or to a raging blizzard that lasts for several days. Many of these winter storms have dangerously low temperatures.

Blizzards can create life-threatening conditions. Traveling by automobile can become difficult or even impossible due to “whiteout” conditions and drifting snow. Whiteout conditions occur most often with major storms that produce a drier, more powdery snow. In this situation, it doesn’t even need to be snowing to produce whiteout conditions, as the snow which is already on the ground is blown around, reducing the visibility to nearly zero at times.

An ice storm can quickly paralyze a region and is so dangerous that merely walking out of your door is a huge risk to your survival. During an ice storm, power often goes out. Power lines and tree branches simply cannot take the weight of ice build-up so they come crashing down. And when power goes out during an ice storm, repair crews can’t make the necessary repairs until after the storm has passed—which could take a long time.

Bear in mind that it is a really dangerous thing to have no power during an ice storm. During a snowstorm, it is still possible to travel from one place to another; however, your ability to move to a much safer place is dramatically decreased during an ice storm, when road conditions are a lot riskier. Therefore, be sure you have means to keep warm during an ice storm and there’s no power. Consider also that the pipes in your home may freeze.

The strong winds and cold temperatures accompanying blizzards can combine to create another danger. The wind chill factor is the amount of cooling one “feels” due to the combination of wind and temperature. During blizzards, with the combination of cold temperatures and strong winds, very low wind chill values can occur. It is not uncommon in the Midwest to have wind chills below -60 degrees Fahrenheit during blizzard conditions. Exposure to such low wind chill values can result in frostbite or hypothermia. For more information, go to the NWS wind chill web page, http://www.nws.noaa.gov/­om/cold/wind_­chill.shtml.

People should never venture out in blizzards, nor should they continue to travel if a storm is upgraded to a blizzard. To protect yourself from the effects of winter storms, including blizzards, the National Weather Service suggests the following:

Blizzard conditions. Credit: FLKR by TOM, creativecommons.org. licenses.by.2.0.

While heavy snowfalls and severe cold often accompany blizzards, they are not required to create a blizzard condition. Sometimes strong winds pick up snow that has already fallen, generating a ground blizzard. Officially, the National Weather Service defines a blizzard as a storm which contains large amounts of falling or blowing snow, with winds in excess of 35 miles per hour and visibilities of less than a quarter mile for an extended period of time (at least three hours). When these conditions are expected, the National Weather Service will issue a “Blizzard Warning.” When these conditions are not expected to occur simultaneously, but one or two of these conditions are expected, a “Winter Storm Warning” or “Heavy Snow Warning” may be issued.

Blizzard conditions often develop on the northwest side of an intense storm system. The difference between the lower pressure in the storm and the higher pressure to the west creates a tight pressure gradient, meaning the difference in pressure between two locations, which in turn results in very strong winds. These strong winds pick up available snow from the ground, or blow any snow which is falling, creating very low visibilities and the potential for significant drifting of snow.

Stuck Between High and Low Pressure

Blizzard winds are created when a strong low pressure area is close to a strong high pressure area. The air “tries” to flow from high pressure to low pressure, but the turning of the Earth causes the air to turn to the right (in the Northern Hemisphere), and the wind ends up flowing around the low pressure area, rather than directly toward it.

The difference between the lower pressure in the storm and the higher pressure to the west creates a tight pressure gradient, or difference in pressure between two locations, which in turn results in strong winds. The strong winds blow falling snow and pick snow up from the ground, which cut visibility and create big snow drifts.

Each year, hundreds of Americans are injured or killed by exposure to cold, vehicle accidents on wintry roads, and fires caused by the improper use of heaters. Learn what to do to keep your loved ones safe during blizzards and other winter storms.

Types of NWS Designations

Watch: Issued when conditions are favorable for hazardous winter weather or non-precipitation hazard to develop but its occurrence, location, and/or timing are still uncertain.

Warning: Issued when hazardous winter weather or non-precipitation event is occurring, is imminent, or has a high probability of occurrence. A warning is used for conditions posing a threat to life or property.

Advisory: Issued for less serious conditions that are occurring, imminent, or have a high probability of occurrence, that can cause significant inconvenience and, if caution is not exercised, could lead to situations that threaten life or property.

Blizzard Warning: Sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 miles per hour or more, and visibility frequently below a quarter mile in considerable snow and/or blowing snow, and above conditions are expected to prevail for three hours or longer.

Winter Storm Warning: Issued when more than one winter hazard is involved producing life threatening conditions, such as a combination of heavy snow, strong winds producing widespread blowing and drifting snow, freezing rain, or wind chill.

Heavy Snow Warning Criteria:

Above 8,500 feet	12 inches/12 hours	18 inches/24 hours
7,000 to 8,500 feet	8 inches/12 hours*	12 inches/24 hours*
5,000 to 7,000 feet	6 inches/12 hours	10 inches/24 hours
Below 5,000 feet	2 inches/12 hours	4 inches/24 hours

Snow Advisory Criteria:

Above 8,500 feet	6 to 12 inches/12 hours	12 to 18 inches/24 hours
7,000 to 8,500 feet	4 to 8 inches/12 hours*	8 to 12 inches/24 hours*
5,000 to 7,000 feet	3 to 6 inches/12 hours	6 to 10 inches/24 hours
Below 5,000 feet	1 to 2 inches/12 hours	2 inches/24 hours*

*or snow accumulation in any location where it is a rare event.

Blowing Snow Advisory Criteria: Visibility frequently at or below a quarter mile.

High Wind Warning Criteria: Issued for strong winds not associated with severe local storms. These include: gradient, mesoscale, and channeled winds; Foehn/Chinook/downslope winds; and winds associated with tropical cyclones. The criteria:

Sustained winds	40 miles per hour or greater	last 1 hour or longer
Wind gusts	58 miles per hour or greater	for any duration

Wind Advisory: Issued for the same types of wind events as a High Wind Warning, but at lower speed thresholds. The criteria:

Sustained winds	30 to 39 miles per hour	last one hour or longer
Wind gusts	40 to 57 miles per hour	for any duration

Visibility Hazards: Visibility reduced to a quarter mile or less by fog, blowing dust/sand, and smoke.

Wind Chill: Issued for a wind chill factor of -20 degrees Fahrenheit or colder.

Freezing Rain/Drizzle, or Sleet: widespread, dangerous, and damaging accumulations of ice or sleet.

Frost or Freeze Warning: Issued when temperatures are critical for crops and sensitive plants. Criteria are season dependent, but usually a freeze warning is appropriate when temperatures are expected to fall below freezing for at least two hours.

A new snowy villain we’d never heard of popped up as we completed the first draft of this book in January 2018—a Bomb Cyclone. This is essentially a major cold weather and snow event that acts like a blizzard and hurricane had a baby. A Bomb Cyclone is scientifically known as an explosive cyclogenesis. Some similarities to a hurricane are that this event begins in the ocean, is a low barometric pressure system, and brings high winds to shore. Mix that with bitter record-setting cold, lots of moisture in the form of snow, and you have a recipe for a winter weather disaster.

In the event of any of the above, you can sign up in advance to receive notifications from local emergency services and the National Weather Service, FEMA, the American Red Cross, and other organizations that have free apps which provide up-to-date information about shelters, first aid, and recovery assistance.

Preparation

Warning Fatigue

Credit: Captain Albert Theberge, NOAA Corps, retired.

Think of all the warnings you get on a daily or even a weekly basis. Terrorism alerts, security alerts on your computer, fraud alerts for your credit card, smog alerts, and especially, weather alerts for hurricanes, blizzards, high wind, or tornadoes. Because the sheer number of alerts that numb us, the frequency of certain alerts or that we have seen so many “alerts” not come to fruition. We get warning fatigue. This is an age-old problem with weather forecasting. But how do you properly inform the public of the possible dangers without causing this warning fatigue (and subsequent ignoring of the warning)? How long a lead time do you take to begin informing the public of possible weather doom? Meteorologists want the public to take preventative measures, but if they hear and see so many warning alerts and rarely does anything affect them directly, they will more than likely become numb to the warnings.

Blizzards and extreme cold weather events are subject to warning fatigue for sure. The nightly news begins warning a week before icy cold weather is heading your way. That’s scary stuff, so you prepare. You anticipate. And nothing much happens. This happens with hurricanes and tornadoes too. Which leads you to say:

“It might affect some but it won’t affect me.”

“Those guys are hardly ever right.”

“We rode out the last one, we can do it again.”

Blizzards are the ultimate bad boy storms of cold weather events. If your city or town is in imminent danger of a very heavy snowfall or blizzard, most likely your local weather and news media have let you know in plenty of time. They will be issuing warnings and alerts and, again, these should be taken seriously.

Planning

Credit: John Cloud, NOAA Central Library, Washington, DC.

The first step is to create a Family Communications Plan. Two scenarios that can occur: first, your family is together when the blizzard hits whether in the home or on the road; or second, your family is apart. If your family is not together when the blizzard or extreme cold strikes, it is important to know how you will contact one another, how you will all get back together, and what each of you will do in case of an emergency.

Ice storms and blizzards often down power lines and cause havoc to utilities, traffic, and civil services. Prepare for power outages and blocked roads. Shelter, warmth, food, water, and overall safety are your biggest concerns during these cold weather events. Create a supply list of things you will need. Do you know how you will maintain heat if the power goes out? You’d be surprised by how many folks don’t realize that their heating system depends on a boiler that is powered by electricity.

So if the power goes out, that means that gas and electric stoves, microwaves, and central heat will not work. You will need to be prepared with alternative heat sources and plenty of blankets. You may have to use candles but you will have to reduce risk of fire, so whenever possible, use battery-powered emergency lights. If your water supply depends on an electric pump, have plenty of bottled water stored somewhere as well.

You might get snowed in, so stock up on snow shovels and snow-removal equipment before any severe snowstorm. Cover the spaces around the doors with weather stripping and cover your windows with stripping as well to keep drafts out, especially if you lose heat. If you get frequent snow events each winter, purchase an appropriate emergency generator, which as an alternate source of power can be a lifesaver. In snowy climes, you’ll probably already have a snowplow or snow blower, so make sure to service it regularly.

You may have to dress in layers to thwart the cold. Think big and airy so each layer will trap warm air in. You’ll want a supply of warm clothes for each person in the house. If the lights go out, you’ll want to find them quickly and easily so keep these items all together in one spot.

Talk with your family about what to do if a winter storm watch or warning is issued. Young children need to hear about the storms to help quell fears and debunk myths. Keep cars and other vehicles fueled and serviced, with a winter emergency kit in each. Be prepared to evacuate if you lose power or heat and know your routes and destinations. Find a local emergency shelter. Check your emergency supplies and individual kits (for the car) and replenish any items missing or in short supply, especially medications and medical supplies.

Know how the public is warned (siren, radio, TV, or app) and the warning terms for each kind of disaster in your community. A winter storm or blizzard warning is timelier than just a watch. While the classifications for conditions are the same as a winter storm watch, a warning means that these conditions are expected within the next twelve hours or sooner.

When a winter storm warning is issued there is little or no time for preparations and as a result, so safety is harder to ensure. When the below warning terms are issued, follow these instructions:

Winter storm watch: Be alert, a storm is likely. Winter weather conditions are expected to cause significant inconveniences and may be hazardous. When caution is used, these situations should not be life threatening. The NWS issues a winter weather advisory when conditions are expected to cause significant inconveniences that may be hazardous. If caution is used, these situations should not be life-threatening.

A winter storm is possible in your area. Tune in to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio, or television for more information. The NWS issues a winter storm watch when severe winter conditions, such as heavy snow and/or ice, may affect your area but the location and timing are still uncertain. A winter storm watch is issued twelve to thirty hours in advance of a potential severe storm. Tune in to NOAA Weather Radio, local radio, TV, or other news sources for more information. Monitor alerts, check your emergency supplies, and gather any items you may need if you lose power.

Winter storm warning: Take action as the storm is in or entering the area.

Blizzard warning: Snow and strong winds combined will produce blinding snow, near zero visibility, deep drifts, and life-threatening conditions. Sustained winds or frequent gusts to 35 miles per hour or greater and considerable amounts of falling or blowing snow (reducing visibility to less than a quarter mile) are expected to prevail for a period of three hours or longer.

Wind chill: Seek refuge immediately.

Winter weather advisory: Winter weather conditions are expected to cause significant inconveniences and may be hazardous, especially to motorists.

Frost/freeze warning: Below freezing temperatures are expected and may cause damage to plants, crops, or fruit trees.

Winter Storm Watch: Issued when wintry weather conditions are expected in the next twelve to forty-eight hours. This watch can be upgraded to a blizzard watch when snow and wind gusts of at least 35 miles per hour will drop visibility to less than a quarter mile for three hours or longer.

A jogger in a winter storm. Credit: Matthew Henry.

Freezing Rain: Rain that freezes when it hits the ground, creating a coating of ice on roads, walkways, trees, and power lines. Take extreme caution when outside.

Sleet: Rain that turns to ice pellets before reaching the ground. Sleet also causes moisture on roads to freeze and become slippery. Take caution when outside.

Each person in your family should know several safe routes from home, work, and school to high ground. Each should know how to contact other household members through a common out-of-state contact in the event you are separated or must evacuate. Know ahead of time what you should do to help elderly or disabled friends, neighbors or employees. If you want to volunteer to help in a disaster, now is the time to sign up with voluntary organizations or the emergency services offices. We advise you do the following:

• Winterize your house, barn, shed, or any other structure that may provide shelter for your family, neighbors, livestock, or equipment.

Firewood. Credit: Pexels.

• Install storm shutters, doors, and windows.

• Clear rain gutters; repair roof leaks.

• Check the structural ability of the roof to sustain unusually heavy weight from the accumulation of snow—or water (as the snow melts).

• Know how to turn off gas, electric power, and water before evacuating.

• Insulate pipes, valves, and lines.

• Keep plywood, plastic sheeting, lumber, sandbags, and hand tools on hand and accessible.

• Be sure you have ample heating fuel. If you have alternative heating sources, such as fireplaces, wood- or coal-burning stoves, consider buying emergency heating equipment, such as a wood- or coal-burning stove or kerosene heater. Remember to keep all heat sources at least three feet away from furniture and drapes.

• Check that your fire extinguisher(s) is in good working order, and replace it if necessary.

• Bring your companion animals inside and ensure that your horses and livestock have blankets if appropriate and unimpeded access to shelter, food, and non-frozen water.

• Learn how to protect your pipes from freezing.

• Electric space heaters, either portable or fixed. Plug a heater directly into the wall socket rather than using an extension cord and unplug it when it is not in use. Use electric space heaters with automatic shut-off switches and non-glowing elements. If these are relics you got from your grandparents, they aren’t probably up to code, and probably aren’t safe.

• Consider storing sufficient heating fuel. Regular fuel sources may be cut off. Be cautious of fire hazards when storing any type of fuel.

• If you have a fireplace, consider keeping a supply of firewood or coal. Be sure the fireplace is properly vented and in good working order and that you dispose of ashes safely.

• Make sure you have a working carbon monoxide detector.

• Keep fire extinguishers on hand, and make sure everyone in your house knows how to use them. House fires pose an additional risk, as more people turn to alternate heating sources without taking the necessary safety precautions.

Branches weighed down by heavy, wet snow can become fallen limbs or even downed trees. Saw them into manageable pieces for safe and easy removal—and in some instances, firewood use.

If you have cell phones, make sure each is charged and easy to find. Now is the time to add emergency numbers and apps for easy access when you need them.

Be aware of the potential for flooding when snow and ice melt and be sure that your animals have access to high ground.

Snow may be pretty, but it’s still just frozen water. If the temps warm up and that snow starts melting, you could end up with a flooded basement. Meanwhile, you could lose power and your sump pump with it. A battery backup sump pump is your basement’s best friend because it’s there all the time, especially when you lose power and need it the most.

Traveling in a blizzard is just not a good idea. If you are on the road during a blizzard, look for a hotel or motel nearby and stay off the road until driving conditions are safe again.

However tempting it may be for kids to go out and make snow angels or play in the falling snow, use caution. Those blowing winds—both before and after a blizzard—are cold enough to cause frostbite, and snow drifts may hide dangers children might otherwise not see. Stay indoors where it’s safe, and warm.

In many locales, when the weatherperson mentions the possibility of snowfall, grocery stores are swamped. You can’t always have perishables like milk, eggs, and bread in your house, so you’ll have to slug it out in the grocery store for Grade A eggs with all the other blizzard-worriers, but you can keep many any nonperishables in your house.

Supplies:

Stock your blizzard survival kit with the following:

Water: Power outages will disrupt your water supply if pumps won’t operate. Any flooding can contaminate your water supply. So you should have plenty of clean drinking water on hand at all times. It’s a good idea to have extra water on hand for washing and food preparation. And throw in a gallon container of water to flush your toilet if the water is off.

Food. For each person, you need to store at least three days’ worth of non-perishable food. It won’t do you any good if it has to be refrigerated and the power goes out for a week, so make sure to have crackers, cereal, cans of food, peanut butter, dry and canned soup, and the like on hand. Don’t forget to include a non-electric can opener in a drawer. Remember to store basic needs for pets and small children.

Flashlights. Have numerous flashlights and battery-powered lanterns. Head lamps are perfect if the lights go out. Have on hand plenty of batteries of all sizes too and make sure they are fresh. A hand-cranked flashlight works when none of the others work.

Power. Do you have a generator? Be prepared to go without electricity for several days, at least. A gas-powered generator selected to meet your needs might keep you warm during the bitter cold. If you have electric-only heat, how will you keep your home warm? Many gas-heated homes need electricity, too. And using a grill or gas stove for heat can prove deadly since both create carbon monoxide fumes.

Medical. Anyone in your family who has need of prescription medicine should stock up before they run out. Always have enough on hand to cover for extended power outages because drugstores and pharmacies may be closed. Have a medical kit in the house that you have supplemented with bandages, antibiotic ointment, aspirin, ibuprofen or other analgesics, antihistamines in case of an allergy attack or an insect bite, and a bottle of alcohol to clean wounds.

Wood. If all else fails, a wood fire will provide warmth. If you have a fireplace, make sure the chimney is in shape, inspected, and ready to go. Have plenty of dry wood on hand, because you’ll likely be burning more than you anticipate.

List

• Candles, matches, and lighters.

• Canned foods, non-perishable.

• Freeze-dried non-perishable foods. Other non-perishables (peanut butter, saltines, breakfast bars).

• Non-electric can opener.

• Backup phone chargers.

• Emergency heat sources (fireplaces or wood- or coal-burning stoves) and firewood (if you have a fireplace).

• Rock salt and salt-spreader for driveway and outside walkways (some use sand or non-clumping kitty litter on sidewalks).

• Snow shovel (two if you have other hands on deck).

• Fire extinguisher.

• Flashlights and extra batteries (headlamps come in handy)

• Fuel-powered lanterns or an LED lantern.

• Battery-powered NOAA Weather Radio and portable radio (and preferably a hand-cranked radio, too).

• First aid supplies, medicine and baby items (include aspirin, antacids, band aids, first-aid cream, compress, cold medicines, moleskin).

• Heating fuel (stored smartly).

• Personal medications and items (extra pair of old glasses, prescriptions, hearing aids with extra batteries, glasses, contact lenses, syringes, etc.).

• Multi-purpose tool, other tools you might need.

• Sanitation and personal hygiene items.

• Copies of personal documents (medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies).

• Family and emergency contact information.

• Extra cash (the ATMs may not be working if the power is off).

• Baby supplies (bottles, formula, baby food, diapers).

• Pet supplies (collar, leash, ID, food, carrier, bowl).

• Warm coats, gloves or mittens, hats, boots, and extra blankets and warm clothing for all household members.

• Chainsaw for cutting fallen or hanging limbs (but only if you know what you’re doing).

Count on the power being out for at least a day or two and have some board games and a deck of cards on hand. Arts and crafts are always fun for the kids.

If possible, bring your pets inside during cold winter weather. If the animals are outside, make sure their shelters have heat, and their access to food and water is not blocked by snow drifts, ice, or other obstacles. But you really should figure out a way for them to come inside, even if it’s in a laundry room or garage. Outside in a blizzard or snowstorm is no place for a pet.

Before the arrival of the snowstorm, protect your pipes from freezing by draining water from swimming pool and water sprinkler supply lines, and water hoses. Add insulation to attics, basements, and crawl spaces. Check around your house for other water supply lines in unheated areas. Insulate water pipes with a pipe sleeve or heat tape or cable. When the weather gets very cold outside, let the cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes. Running water through the pipe, even a trickle, helps prevent pipes from freezing. If you will be going away during cold weather, leave the heat on in your home, set to a temperature no lower than 55° F.

Driving in Snowstorm Conditions

Winter weather, surprisingly, catches communities unprepared. Researchers say that 70 percent of the fatalities related to ice and snow occur in automobiles, and about 25 percent of all winter-related fatalities are people caught off guard, out in the storm.

Driving in snowstorms is dangerous. Take extreme caution. Credit: Pixabay.

Have your vehicle winterized before the winter storm season to decrease your chance of being stranded in cold weather. Have a mechanic check your battery, antifreeze, wipers and windshield washer fluid, ignition system, thermostat, lights, flashing hazard lights, exhaust system, heater, brakes, defroster, and oil. Install good winter tires with adequate tread. All-weather radials are usually adequate but some jurisdictions require vehicles to be equipped with chains or snow tires with studs.

Before you go out, you need to have a good reason. If there are blizzard conditions, you simply can’t go out. Stay in and be safe. But if the storm hasn’t fully hit, if you are traveling out of harm’s way, if you have to run up to the store, or pick up a friend for safety’s sake, whatever your good reason may be, choose to depart during daylight. If possible, take at least one other person with you. Let someone know your destination, your route, and when you expect to arrive. If your vehicle gets stuck along the way, help can be sent along your predetermined route. Before leaving, listen to weather reports for your area and the areas you will be passing through, or call the state highway patrol for the latest road conditions.

Dress warmly. We’ve all known someone who wears pajama bottoms and slippers to drive to the store or through a drive-through fast food joint. But what if the car slid off the road? What if they got in a fender bender? Got stuck in the snow?

Be on the lookout for sleet, freezing rain, freezing drizzle, and dense fog, which can make driving very hazardous. Use major streets or highways for travel whenever possible as these roadways will be cleared first.

Drive slowly. Posted speed limits are for ideal weather conditions. Vehicles, including those with four-wheel drive, take longer to stop on snow and ice than on dry pavement. If you skid, steer in the direction you want the car to go and straighten the wheel when the car moves in the desired direction. Try to keep your vehicle’s gas tank as full as possible. If you get stuck on the road, stay with your car and contact a towing company.

A majority of ice and snow deaths happen inside of automobiles. When stuck in a vehicle during a blizzard, people should roll the window down a little to allow fresh air inside. This reduces the risk of being poisoned by deadly carbon monoxide gas. Before running the engine, experts recommend checking to make sure the exhaust pipe is not blocked.

If you get stuck and need warmth, the engine can be kept running at ten-minute intervals for warmth. A better idea is to run the engine in short bursts. Turn the engine on long to keep the car warm and then turn it off. Keep this routine up until the conditions are stable enough for you to get back on the road.

Keep these things in your vehicle:

• A windshield scraper, small broom, de-icing spray.

• A small bag of sand for generating traction under the tires.

• A set of tire chains or traction mats.

• Matches in a waterproof container, a couple of lighters.

• A brightly colored (preferably red) cloth to tie to the antenna.

• An emergency supply kit, including warm clothing.

• Keep your vehicle’s gas tank full so you can leave right away in an emergency and to keep the fuel line from freezing. That’s hard to do of course, but make it a policy to keep your fuel at half-full during winter.

• Keep a supply of kitty litter to make walkways and steps less slippery.

• Make sure you have a cell phone with an emergency charging option (car, solar, hand crank, etc.) in case your car gets stuck or loses power.

• Blanket or two.

• Flashlights with extra batteries.

• Small supply of non-perishable food.

• Shovel.

• Tool kit.

• Jumper cables.

• Road maps (cell service may not work).

• Flares.

Survival

Snowmageddon in Gaithersburg, Maryland, February 6, 2010. Credit: Kevin Shaw, NOAA, NOS, OCS.

You’ve had plenty of warning about the impending storm. Do you stay or do you go? If you have time to drive, as long as it’s with good visibility, away from the storm not into it, and with a destination where you can stay a good while if the storm shuts down your community, then perhaps you should leave. But let’s assume you end up staying in your house, which is the only way to ensure survival. Avoid the blizzard by staying in and remaining warm.

Stay inside. Keep the heat set in the mid-sixties during the day and cooler even at night to conserve fuel. Shut off unneeded rooms to save heat. Cover the windows at night. Eat and drink to prevent dehydration. Wear layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, and warm clothing around the house. Do not drive until it’s safe to do so.

If the power goes out, do not heat your home with stoves or charcoal grills. These heaters release carbon monoxide, and it can poison you without you even knowing because it’s a colorless and odorless gas. Monitor your NOAA Weather Radio and keep a local radio and/or TV station on for information and emergency instructions. Have your emergency survival kit ready to go if told to evacuate. Know where the manual release lever of your electric garage door opener is located and how to operate it in case you lose power.

Keep food as safe as possible. Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed and don’t open them unless you’re getting food out and do it quickly. First, eat the perishable food from the refrigerator. An unopened refrigerator will keep foods cold for about four hours. After that’s gone, use the food from the freezer. A full freezer will keep its temperature for about forty-eight hours, but only if the door remains closed. Eat your non-perishable foods and staples after using food from the refrigerator and freezer.

If it looks like the power outage will continue for more than a day, prepare a cooler with ice for your freezer items. Keep food in a dry, cool spot and keep it covered at all times. Turn off and unplug all unnecessary electrical equipment, including sensitive electronics. Turn off or disconnect any appliances (stoves, equipment, or electronics) you were using when the power went out. When power comes back on, you want to avoid surges or spikes since they can damage equipment. Leave a light on so you’ll know when the power comes back on.

Before you go outside, dress in layers. The outer layer of your clothes should be waterproof and wind-stopping. Your jacket should have a hood or you should have a head covering (hat, beanie, ear muffs, etc.) Wear mittens or gloves. Wear waterproof, insulated shoes or boots.

If a fallen wire has fallen over a car, don’t approach the car to make a rescue attempt. Remain a safe distance away and try to keep the occupant of the vehicle calm. If possible, let emergency personnel handle the situation.

If you must travel during a storm, do so during the day and inform someone of your itinerary, route, and expected arrival time. Stay alert and look out for other cars and rescue teams. If you must go out during a winter storm, use public transportation if possible. About 70 percent of winter deaths related to ice and snow occur in automobiles.

If a Blizzard Traps You in Your Car:

Don’t keep driving. Pull off the road, turn on your hazard lights, and hang a distress flag from the radio antenna or window. If the snow piles up around your vehicle, you’ll want something above the car alerting rescuers. Remain in your vehicle. Rescuers will look there first. You don’t want a drift of snow to block your exhaust. Hopefully, you’ve prepared for any snowstorm by including a blizzard emergency kit in your car.

A blizzard not only means that you can’t see but other cars can’t see you until it ends. You can’t keep the car running or you’ll run out of fuel and freeze. Conserve gas but run the engine and heater about ten minutes each hour to keep warm. Make sure to roll down window ever so slightly to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Exercise to maintain body heat but don’t overexert. Huddle with other passengers and use your coat for a blanket. In extreme cold, use road maps, seat covers, floor mats, newspapers, or extra clothing to provide additional insulation and warmth.

Do light exercises to keep up circulation. Clap your hands and move your arms and legs occasionally. Don’t stay in one position for too long. If more than one person is in the vehicle, take turns sleeping so one can monitor conditions and turn the car on periodically. If not, you could both freeze to death.

Watch for signs of frostbite and hypothermia. Severe cold can cause numbness, making you unaware of possible danger. Avoid overexertion. Cold weather puts an added strain on the heart. Pushing a vehicle, for instance, can bring on a heart attack or make other medical conditions worse.

Don’t get out of your car unless you need to use the bathroom and don’t set out on foot unless you see a building close by where you know you can take shelter. Once the blizzard is over, you may need to leave the car and proceed on foot. Follow the road if at all possible. If you need to walk across open country, use distant points as landmarks to help maintain your sense of direction.

If Caught Outside During a Blizzard:

You need to get out of the shearing bitter cold winds immediately. Find a dry shelter immediately. Cover all exposed body parts. The blizzard will likely be disorienting so look for landmarks that will lead you to a safehouse or a warm building. Look for a mailbox, a driveway, a parking lot, any kind of physical clue to get to a building.

If you are not in a city or town, but out on a country road or on a long part of a highway and your car is out of gas or is immobilized and won’t start, you won’t easily find refuge. Now is the time to use your survival skills.

Can you find anything with which to prepare a lean-to, a wind break, or to build a snow-cave for protection against the wind? Any way to build a fire for heat and attention purposes? Is there a stand of trees or thick bushes you can use for protection? If you can, use it.

Frostbite and Hypothermia

Frostbite

Frostbite is a serious condition where parts of your body actually freeze due to not properly being protected in frigid temperatures. Your extremities are at the greatest risk since they are further away from your warmer core. Frostnip, the first stage of frostbite, is when your unprotected skin gets red and sore. Take this signal as a serious warning to bundle up, get inside, and to ward off progression to more serious stages. Frostbite can happen in minutes so there isn’t much time to play around with warning signs. Once frostbite begins it’s tough to realize how serious the damage is due to lack of feeling, so noticing the color of your skin is telling as to how deep and damaging the frostbite has progressed. When the skin darkens to blue and black, this is the most advanced stage and damage has likely gone all the way to the bone.

Frostbite on hands. Credit: Winky Oxford, UK (Flickr), creativecommons.org licenses by 2.0.

First signs include:

• Pins and needles feeling in the skin.

• Skin turns a pale color.

Later signs:

• Skin hardens and takes on a shiny or waxy appearance.

• Blisters form as skin thaws.

More advanced signs:

• Skin turns a dark blue or black color.

• Skin feels cold to touch and is hard.

Seek medical attention quickly if you or anyone you know is experiencing frostbite, especially at the late and advanced stages. If that’s not an option right away, then get to a warm place immediately and do not rub the affected skin. Also, soak affected areas in warm, not hot, water or place a warm washcloth over the frostbitten area. As skin thaws you’ll feel prickly, stinging feeling coming back to your skin. Keep area covered with a loose, dry dressings and place gauze between toes to keep them separated. Use caution so you don’t break any blisters that may have formed.

Frostbite is a bad deal, so do what you can to avoid it:

• Take frequent breaks from the cold.

• Cover your extremities, ears included, with a good hat, gloves, and socks that wick away moisture.

• Wear loose, layered clothing with a first layer of moisture wicking material.

• Dry off if your clothing becomes wet from sweat or snow as wet clothing makes the likelihood of frostbite higher.

Hypothermia

Hypothermia develops when a person’s core body temperature falls below 95 degrees Fahrenheit and severe hypothermia develops at a body temperature of 82 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. Hypothermia is usually caused from extended exposure to cold temperatures and that risk increases during the cold, winter months. When exposed to cold temperatures, our bodies lose heat at a faster rate than it can be produced, so staying out for too long in cold temps uses up our body’s storehouse of warmth. This lowering of body temperature is a serious condition, so take steps to avoid it, and know how to recognize when it sets in. Note that body temperatures may vary from person to person so stay tuned to all of the signs of hypothermia.

Signs to be aware of:

• Shivering, which helps the body produce heat with muscle activity.

• Weakness, including slow breathing, slow speech, low pulse, drowsiness, and loss of coordination.

• Confusion or apathy.

• Glassy stare.

• Infants may exhibit low energy with cold, bright red skin.

• Most serious cases result in unconsciousness.

If you or someone you know is experiencing signs of hypothermia, seek medical attention and call 911, especially if extreme hypothermia has set in, including when body temperature falls below 95 degrees. In the meantime, get to a warmer location and monitor breathing and circulation. Get into dry, warm clothes and begin warming up slowly with blankets and possibly heating pads or electric blankets applied to core body areas. Keep from warming the body too quickly; warm the core (midsection) first. Try drinking warm liquids, but not alcohol or caffeine.

If the affected person is unconscious, again, call for medical help right away. If there is no pulse or sign of breathing, immediately begin CPR (make sure there is no pulse before starting CPR; this may take a bit to know since the heart rate is likely slow). Once CPR is the course of action, keep it up until medical help arrives or breathing or a pulse has been restored. Remember that confusion can set in, making the affected person’s ability to make good decisions for their safety difficult.

Hypothermia is a scary situation, so take precautions to avoid it.

• Make note of the temperature, including wind chill, and don’t stay in the cold too long; if necessary, take breaks inside.

• Dress accordingly by covering exposed skin and dressing in loose, warm layers with water wicking layers closest to the skin.

• Stay hydrated with warm fluids, excluding alcohol and caffeine, and eat high-fat carbs.

• Stay moving to keep your core warm.

• Take extra precautions with infants, children, elderly, and with those who have conditions that increase hypothermia risk (diabetes, thyroid conditions, or use of drugs or alcohol).

If you experience any signs, get inside and get warm.

Carbon Monoxide Caution: Each year, more than four hundred Americans die from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning, and there are more than twenty thousand visits to the emergency room with more than four thousand hospitalizations. Carbon monoxide-related deaths are highest during colder months, likely due to increased use of gas-powered furnaces and alternative heating, cooking, and power sources used inappropriately indoors during power outages.

• Never use a generator, grill, camp stove, or other gasoline, propane, natural gas, or charcoal-burning devices inside a home, garage, basement, or any partially enclosed area. Locate the unit away from doors, windows and vents that could allow carbon monoxide to come indoors. Keep these devices at least twenty feet from doors, windows, and vents.

• The primary hazards to avoid when using alternate sources for electricity, heating, or cooking are carbon monoxide poisoning, electric shock, and fire.

• Install carbon monoxide alarms in central locations on every level of your home and outside sleeping areas to provide early warning of accumulating carbon monoxide.

• If the carbon monoxide alarm sounds, move quickly to a fresh air location outdoors or by an open window or door.

• Call for help from the fresh air location and remain there until emergency personnel arrive to assist you.

Aftermath

Credit: Dwight Sipler, creativecommons.org.licenses.b.2.0.

Just because the blizzard or big snow event has passed doesn’t mean you are out of the woods yet. You may have lost power to your house and be without adequate heat. The streets may be impassable with drifts or heavy snow or ice. Your car may be buried under snow. Power lines may be downed and causing dangers on the roads or yards. The temperatures may still be cold enough to cause frostbite or hypothermia. The sidewalks and driveway may be icy and slick so that even walking to your car is dangerous.

If your home loses power or heat for more than a few hours or if you do not have adequate supplies to stay warm in your house overnight, it might be time to consider going to a designated public shelter. Text SHELTER + your ZIP code to 43362 (4FEMA) to find the nearest shelter in your area (e.g., SHELTER20472).

If you find yourself in a shelter, it’s going to be odd sleeping in an open space with so many other people of differing nighttime habits. Bring ear plugs for starters. Bring any personal items that you need (toiletries, medicines) but only bring what you need for a night or two. Dress warmly so that if you have only a blanket, you’re still warm. If you bring a phone and charger, and you should, don’t leave it charging without you being able to see it. Better safe than sorry. Eat to maintain calories and warmth and stay indoors as much as possible.

If you are able to stay in your home, take inventory of damage in and around your house. Report downed power lines and broken gas lines immediately. Is there damage to your roof? Your water pipes? If you have a chimney, check it to be sure it has no structural damage. And if you light a fire, be sure the smoke does not back up into your home.

Repair broken windows by covering them with plywood or taping blankets or tarps over them to offer some insulation until a repair person can provide proper repair. If the house sustained structural damage, stay with a neighbor if you can.

Don’t let children or pets run around outside without knowing if there are downed lines. Check for any leaks in your ceiling as they could mean roof damage. Check for broken tree limbs. Limbs could fall damage your yard, auto, home, or worse, even cause potential injury to someone underneath.

If there are no other problems, wait for streets and roads to be opened before you attempt to drive anywhere.

Check on neighbors, especially any who might need help.

You may be tempted to shovel your walks and driveway. Beware of overexertion and exhaustion. Because you could hurt your back, overexert yourself, and have a heart attack, why not use a snow blower instead? If you don’t have one, perhaps a kindly neighbor will clear your paths or perhaps it’s time to pay a small amount to a local service to do it.

But you are stubborn and you want to shovel snow yourself. Hopefully, you bought an ergonomic shovel with a curved or adjustable handle. Don’t go out in the cold with cold muscles. Warm up and stretch your muscles especially your lower back and hamstrings. Don’t lift the snow if you can help it but push it to the side. Stay square, bend at the hips, keep loads light, avoid twisting, and grip one hand near the load. Most importantly, pace yourself, don’t overexert. Keep good footing so you don’t slip and fall. Take a break every few minutes. Don’t start sweating underneath your layers of clothes.

The streets may be tall with snowdrifts. Sidewalks may be slick with ice. Your car may be buried. Side streets won’t be frequently traveled and will be treacherous, so stay on main thoroughfares. Keep listening to a local station on battery-powered radio or television or to NOAA Weather Radio for updated emergency information. You may be in for more snow so stay informed.

Eat regularly. Food provides your body with energy to produce its own heat. Replenish your body with fluids to prevent dehydration. Avoid caffeine and alcohol since caffeine, a stimulant, accelerates the symptoms of hypothermia. Alcohol is a depressant and hurries the effects of cold on the body. Both caffeine and alcohol can cause dehydration. Throw out unsafe food. Throw away any food that has been exposed to temperatures above freezing for two hours or more or if it has an unusual odor, color, or texture. When in doubt, throw it out.

Conserve fuel. Winter storms can place great demand on electric, gas, and other fuel distribution systems. Keep your thermostats lowered to 65 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 55 degrees Fahrenheit at night. Close off rooms you are not using. Cover the cracks under the doors.

If you turn on a faucet and only a trickle comes out, you probably have a frozen pipe. These typically occur against exterior walls or entry points for the water service. Keep the faucet open. Apply heat to the section of pipe using a hair dryer, a heating pad, even a space heater but don’t use a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove, or other open flame device.

As you treat the frozen pipe and the frozen area begins to melt, water should flow through the frozen area. Water running through the pipe will help melt ice in the pipe. If you are unable to locate the frozen area, if the frozen area is not accessible, or if you cannot thaw the pipe, call a licensed plumber. You don’t want broken pipes and resultant flooding.