Snow In a City That Rarely Sees Snow

Las Vegas had it's first major snowfall in more than a decade today.  By New England standards it was less than impressive--an inch or two of snow in most places in the US wouldn't even be cause to look out the window--but here it closed every freeway in the region and brought some traffic to a standstill.  Then it melted.  Some tips for areas that rarely see snow:

• You don't need to run out and stock up on food at the grocery store; the snow will probably be gone by dinner time.
• Plan to stay inside if there is snow on the roads; people here don't drive well in the rain so driving near them in the snow is just asking for problems.  As stated above, snow on the road usually melts by early afternoon.
• Your flight will probably be delayed or canceled; I don't think the local airports even have de-icing equipment.
• Keep some cold weather gear on hand.  Even without snow, temps in the desert can get cold so down jackets, a hat, and gloves are always good to keep on hand.
• If you will be traveling through the mountains to get to places like Vegas, be prepared for snow with chains and emergency equipment in your vehicle (some of the local mountains got more than a foot of snow within 24 hours).

Snowstorm Preps for the Unprepared

My former city, Seattle, is about to get walloped by a major snowstorm.  And by "major snowstorm" I mean more than an inch or two of snow as the city is very hilly and very temperate, and very unused to major snowfall.  If you live in the area--or any area for that matter where snow is rare yet the forecast is warning of a major snowstorm--here are some preps for the unprepared:

• Stay home.  Really, just stay home, the roads will be buried in snow and ice and getting a plow or sanding truck through will be next to impossible on many roads once deep snow starts to accumulate.
• Listen to the weather reports.  Forecasters are pretty accurate these days so if they say snow will start falling at 2pm, they mean it (in that case, be home by 1pm).
• Stock up on food and supplies at least a week before the storm is set to hit (half of the city will be in the stores the evening/morning of the snow event and the shelves will be cleared in no time).
• Make sure you have a plan for elderly and medically fragile family members--fill prescriptions early if possible so they won't run out, get a few more tanks of oxygen to have in reserve, realize that calling 911 in the midst of a major storm doesn't mean they will be able to get to you in a timely fashion, etc.
• Prepare for power outages.  It's pretty much a given that when snow and ice is in the forecast, falling power lines won't be far behind.  It usually isn't if but when the power will go out so learn what to do to prepare for this situation.
• See if you can tele-commute when the weather is bad.  Some businesses may be closed, some businesses may allow you to work from home, and for some people in critical job positions, you will get to go to work anyway so figure out how you will do this (some cities have emergency plans to have transport provided for critical staff).  If you will be at work, bring your BOB in case you can't get home for a few days.
• And some other preps: dress in layers, make only short trips outside, be careful shoveling snow if you are unused to doing this (it's a common cause of heart attacks), know how to prevent/treat frostbite and hypothermia, have plenty of things (books, games, a full Kindle) to keep everyone in the family entertained, have a backup heat source (like a kerosene or propane stove, vented of course), prep for your pets and other animals, etc.

Preparing for a Massive Snow Storm

Apparently some of you will be seeing 40 inches of snow in the next few days or so.  That's A LOT of snow and a very dangerous situation to be in.  If you haven't prepared yet, you don't have much time but there are several things you can do to get ready:

• Stockpile food, water, and supplies (like toilet paper, diapers if you have a small child, etc).  You probably won't be able to make it to a store that will be open when the worst of the storm hits.
• Stay home if at all possible.  Driving will be extraordinarily dangerous.
• If you must be out and about, be sure your vehicle is prepared with a full tank of gas, adequate supplies, chains, and an emergency kit.  But really, just stay home, even snow plows have a hard time getting through such deep snow.
• If it will be dangerous to stay home (someone has severe medical issues, for example), evacuate ahead of the storm.  Ideally you could fly out of the storm's path and stay with friends or family until the storm is over.  This way, if there is a medical crisis, the person will have easier access to medical care.  Always keep enough prescription medication on hand to cover an extended period of time when pharmacies may be closed.
• Plan for a long-term power outage (between the snow storm and the ice storm that is set to follow, power lines will probably come down).  If you have a generator, have plenty of extra fuel.  Stack up fire wood near to the house if you have a wood stove which could be used for cooking and heating.
• Have a plan for your pets and farm animals to keep them safe, warm, dry, fed, and watered throughout the storm.
• If your home isn't safe to be in during the storm or you cannot prepare adequately, call now to find out where your town/city/county warming shelters will be and how to access them.
• Have plenty of warm clothes, blankets, sleeping bags, flashlights, extra batteries, a battery-operated radio, etc. on hand.
• Have all of your electronics (cell phones, tablets, laptops, battery banks, etc) fully charged before the storm hits.
• If you must go outside (to check on animals or the neighbors or your property) try not to do this during the worst of the storm or during blizzard/white out conditions and always watch for downed power lines (you may not be able to see them in the snow so be aware).  Also, know what hypothermia and frostbite are and how to avoid/treat these conditions.
• Protect your pipes from freezing ahead of the cold weather.  When temperatures drop below freezing, let the water drip from each faucet to keep the water circulating (this won't work if you have a well and the power goes out).  Know where the main water shut off is in case of burst pipes.
• Make one room of your house the "warm room" which you keep heated (with a portable stove or wood stove), where you can block off with blankets to keep heat from escaping out windows or down hallways, and where everyone can "camp out" to stay warm.
• Avoid carbon monoxide poisoning (don't use combustion appliances for heating, be sure that generators and portable heaters are adequately vented, and make sure your CO detector is working).
• Always watch or listen to local news for more area-specific warnings and guidance from local authorities.

Read more on winter storm preparedness here, here, here, and here.

The Five Items You Need Before You Get Snowed In

Although being snowed in is light years away from my current situation (it was 74 degrees here today), folks in the North East are getting ready to be walloped by a huge snowstorm which should begin by tomorrow.  And like any storm that makes the news, reporters only have to go as far as the local Home Depot or grocery store to see how many people are unprepared for such an event.

Of course you can put together a list of a hundred items you might need to weather the storm, however, there are only five items that are critical to your survival:

1. Medications.  If you rely on medications for sustaining your life, make sure you always have a couple month's supply on hand.
2. Water.  For whatever reason, you might turn on the tap and the water won't flow.  By having a reserve of a week--or more--worth of bottled water on hand, you will be set.
3. Food.  Most Americans won't starve to death in a week, they are too fat for that, but by having the barest of basic food on hand, you will weather the storm with no problem and with no reason to snow shoe your way to the local grocery store.  You can literally have 21 cans of soup or 21 packets of oatmeal or 21 granola bars per person and hunger will be taken care of if you can't leave your home for a week.  Simple.
4. Toilet paper.  While not critical, these days we don't have a lot of alternative paper products laying around (catalogs, newspapers) so while millions of people survive without toilet paper everyday in our world, most first-world people will be mighty unhappy to have to use their left hand to take care of business.
5. Blankets.  Obviously if you are preparing for a winter event, the more blankets you have, the better.  Your heating system might break down, the power may go out, but if you have a stack of extra blankets, you probably won't freeze to death.

There is no reason that people should have to run out and get any of these items the day before a predicted weather emergency.  These items can be bought and stored (and rotated, of course) any time during the year and you will be ready to meet any winter weather crisis. 

10 Things You NEED During a Snow Storm

Many people are already knee-deep in snow (even friends from Atlanta have been sending me their snow pictures!). While we had some snow here today, we are expecting maybe six inches or more of the white stuff tomorrow. Here's ten items I always have on hand for snow:

1. Tire chains. My rule is not to drive in the snow because, well, I don't have to. But there is always the possibility that an emergency could come up and I would have to drive on the road with all of the other maniacs with *cough* four-wheel drive *cough* so having chains is a definitely necessity. So is avoiding people with four wheel drives who don't know how to drive them in the snow. Just sayin...
   
2. A snow shovel. If you have ever tried to shovel snow with a garden shovel, you will understand why a shovel made specifically for snow is a necessity.


3. A kerosene heater which is my preferred alternate heating system aside from the fireplace. Snow usually goes with ice which usually goes with trees falling down which usually goes with power lines going down.
   
4. Cold weather gear. Whether I choose to go out in the snow or not, I still like having insulated boots, gloves, a parka, and a hat on hand. When I used to drive in mountainous areas I would keep a set of these items in my vehicle as well because it could be sunny in the lowlands and pouring snow in the mountains.


5. An ice scraper for my vehicle's windshield. I use this about four months out of the year so it is a necessity and works better than the credit card my neighbor uses.


6. Insulation for pipes that could freeze. I also put those little bell insulation cups on my exterior faucets. If you've ever had a pipe freeze and burst you know how important it is and how much less of a hassle it is to prepare ahead of time to keep your pipes from freezing.


7. Basic survival supplies in your home and car: flashlights, extra batteries, portable radio, charged cell phones, ready-to-eat food, matches, candles, blankets, etc. Again, if there is a power outage or your are stranded in your car, you need to be prepared to feed, entertain, and take care of yourself for a while.


8. A list of resources. Depending on your situation, you may need to know where local warming shelters are (call 211), know how to acquire prescription meds/extra oxygen/etc during a storm, know where to call with help to keep your electricity/gas on even if you can't pay the bill (call 211), have the emergency numbers for your electric/gas/water company in case you have an emergency and can't look the numbers up online, know what radio stations to listen to for emergency information, etc. Note that you should gather this information prior to the storm.


9. Basic supplies for everyday living. During most major storms everything from gas stations to grocery stores may be closed. If you read this blog you probably have a pretty good stockpile of stuff, but I am always amazed when they show people on the news running out to stores ahead of the storm trying to buy everything from blankets to toilet paper to diapers to milk to generators. Again, prepare prior to a storm. You should have enough supplies in your home right now to stay put in your home for a week even without any advanced warning.


10. A couple of bags of sand or kitty litter. This stuff comes in handy for a number of things, namely providing traction if your car is stuck in the snow, making your driveway and walkways less slippery, or even for adding weight to the back of your truck.

That's it. With these supplies you should be able to weather any storm.

p.s. Should you choose to go out/are required to go out during a big snow storm, I highly recommend an emergency locator beacon. No joke...one of these could save your life in certain circumstances.

Dealing with 'Snowmageddon'

I'd like to wax poetic on prep tips for dealing with all of the snow that has recently pummeled the eastern part of our country but today was 60 degrees and sunny at my house which kind of takes the passionate discourse out of this post. In fact, this has been one of the warmest winters on record with nary a snowflake hitting our area all winter. I will, however, be heading to DC in a few weeks...and I'm hoping all of the snow will be melted by then. So for our readers who are either snowbound or enjoying a bit of cross country skiing without having to leave the city, here's some random tips:

• Obviously, stay inside if at all possible. No need adding to the confusion, accidents, and craziness that accompany a major snowfall on the highways and byways.
• If you are out of power, keeping one room as warm as possible where the whole family can hang out and sleep if necessary, is important.
• Never use your barbecue to cook inside your home and always properly vent any appliances (generator, alternative fuel heaters, etc) so as to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Be aware of the signs and symptoms of hypothermia. If you or the kids are getting wet and cold from being outside--either to play or to work--ensure that you and/or the kids can get warm and dry regularly.
• Check on elderly friends, relatives, and neighbors who can sometimes freeze to death for a variety of reasons (inability to judge temperature, lack of heat, lack of resources to seek help, etc).
• If you have any sort of food in the house, then don't panic and don't run out and stock up "just in case". Just prior to the storm beginning, the stores in DC looked like they had been ransacked by people who were panic buying. Now this isn't TEOTWAWKI and the snow will eventually melt--it isn't like the snow will hang around for a few weeks before people can get outside. So just relax and eat the food that you have in your house. Most people have enough food tucked away in the back of their cupboards to last for weeks. They don't usually eat this food and continue buying more food each week, but if necessary, it is possible to get creative and have enough food to sustain you until things can get back to normal.
• If you are involved in a car accident due to the snowy conditions, don't immediately get out of your car. The same slipping and sliding that caused you to crash can also make others crash and you don't want to be standing out in the open when this happens.
• When heading outside be careful not only of out of control cars but falling trees and power lines that have been weighted down by the icy snow.
• Hire help if necessary. Shoveling snow is great exercise but if throwing out your back or sending you into cardiac arrest from the exertion is a possibility, hire this work done. Ditto for removing trees (if you don't know how to do this, don't do it), patching roofs, and other activities that can be dangerous.
• Relax and enjoy the storm. There isn't much you can do about the snowy weather so why not enjoy it? Get lots of sleep, read a book, play board games with the kids...basically all of the things you never have time to do is now available so take advantage of the situation.