Winter Weather

• Sign up for Humboldt Alert emergency notifications.
• Before the winter season begins, make sure you can heat your home safely. Prepare your home to keep out the cold with insulation, caulking, and weather stripping.
• Consider using an indoor thermometer or thermostat to monitor the temperature inside.
• Have a snow shovel and ice-melting products to keep your walkways safe.
• Have your emergency kit ready to sustain you and your household for at least 2 weeks.
• You may lose access to drinking water. Set aside at least one gallon of drinking water per person per day.
• Make an emergency plan for your household, including your pets.
• Plan to check on loved ones and neighbors to make sure they stay warm. This is especially important for older adults and babies.
• Ensure you have enough warm clothing, such as hats, mittens, and blankets, for everyone in your household.

• Stay off roads if at all possible. If trapped in your car, then stay inside.
• Limit your time outside. If you need to go outside, then wear layers of warm clothing. Watch for signs of frostbite and hypothermia.
• Reduce the risk of a heart attack by avoiding overexertion when shoveling snow and walking in the snow.
• If you lose power review power outage safety tips.

If you must drive during a storm, take the following precautions:

• Slow down! Even if the roads just look wet they could still be slick. More than 5,000 fatalities occur on the roadways each year due to weather conditions.
• Make sure your vehicle is completely clear of ice or snow before starting the trip. Flying snow from cars causes accidents.
• Let someone know where you are going and what route you will take. If something happens, this person will know where to start a search.
• Don't leave the house without the following: a fully charged mobile phone, car charger and an emergency supplies kit in your car.
• If you are driving and begin to skid, remain calm, ease your foot off the gas and turn your wheels in the direction you want the front of the car to go. If you have an anti-lock braking system (ABS), apply steady pressure to the brake pedal. Never pump the brakes on an ABS equipped vehicle.
• If you are having trouble seeing due to weather conditions, pull over to the side of the road and stop your car until visibility improves. Turn off your lights and use your parking break when stopped so that another car won't mistakenly follow your tail/brake lights and end up hitting you.

If your car gets stuck during a storm:

• Stay in the vehicle!
  • If you leave your vehicle, you will become disoriented quickly in wind-driven snow and cold.
  • Run the motor about 10 minutes each hour for heat.
  • While running the motor, open the window a little for fresh air to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
  • Clear snow from the exhaust pipe to avoid gas poisoning.
• Be visible to rescuers.
  • Turn on the dome light at night when running the engine.
  • Tie a bright colored cloth, preferably red, to your antenna or door.
  • After snow stops falling, raise the hood to indicate you need help.

• Wear multiple layers of lightweight clothing, including hats, mittens, and socks to trap body heat.
• Use blankets or sleep in sleeping bags to stay cozy.
• Close off one room, stay with family or roommates in this space and keep the door shut to preserve warmth.
• Block drafts around windows and doors with caulk, weather stripping, or even duct tape and plastic sheeting if supplies are limited. Towels and blankets work well as temporary door guards.
• Avoid opening doors and windows to retain warmth.
• Light exercises like stretching, yoga, or walking in place can help generate body heat.
• Set up a tent or bundle up in sleeping bags inside to trap warmth, especially at night.
• During the day, gather in a room with southern-facing windows to capture natural sunlight and warmth.

Frostbite

Frostbite causes loss of feeling and color around the face, fingers and toes.

Signs:

• Numbness
• White or grayish-yellow skin
• Firm or waxy skin

Actions: 

1. Go to a warm room. 
2. Soak in warm water. 
3. Use body heat to warm. 
4. Do not massage or use a heating pad.

Hypothermia

Hypothermia is an unusually low body temperature. A temperature below 95 degrees is an emergency.

Signs:

• Shivering
• Exhaustion
• Confusion
• Fumbling hands
• Memory loss
• Slurred speech or drowsiness.

Actions: 

1. Go to a warm room. 
2. Warm the center of the body first—chest, neck, head and groin. 
3. Keep dry and wrapped up in warm blankets, including the head and neck.

What is the difference between winter storm warnings, winter storm watches and winter weather advisories issued by the National Weather Service?

• Winter Storm Warnings - Take Action! Issued for a significant winter weather event including snow, ice, sleet or blowing snow or a combination of these hazards.  Travel will become difficult or impossible in some situations. Delay your travel plans until conditions improve.
• Winter Storm Watches - Be Prepared! Issued when conditions are favorable for a significant winter storm event (heavy sleet, heavy snow, ice storm, heavy snow and blowing snow or a combination of events.)
• Winter Weather Advisories - Be Aware: Issued when snow, blowing snow, ice, sleet, or a combination of these wintry elements is expected but conditions should not be hazardous enough to meet warning criteria.  Be prepared for winter driving conditions and possible travel difficulties. Use caution when driving.