First and foremost, you need to always pay attention to your local forecast and be familiar with the warning sign terms, such as:
- Winter storm watch: potentially dangerous weather within the next 36 to 48 hours
- Winter weather advisory: weather conditions will cause some inconveniences, but it’s not so bad to issue a warning
- Winter storm warning: life-threatening weather is happening or will happen within the next 24 hours
Note: a winter storm warning only comes when there’s a combination of ice, snow, and wind altogether.
That being said,
You will also need to prepare your home, your family, and yourself for emergencies. You don’t want to wait till the storm hits and regret about not having prepared before, so here are some tips on how to prepare for a snowstorm!
“The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.” - H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
Prepare Your Car
If you have the option of not going to work or working from home for a day or two, that will be great to keep safe.
However,
If your job requires someone to be there at all times (and that someone happens to be you) you need to get your car ready to face a snowstorm as well.
Make sure to keep an emergency snowstorm kit in the trunk, including food, water, and blankets. Also, keep a few changes of clothes and a sleeping bag in your car, in case you need to sleep over at your office.
More than that,
Remember to get winter tires for extra safety, specially if you live in an area with annual snowfalls.
Stock Up on Food
There are many important steps when it comes to preparing for a snowstorm, and stocking up on food is essential!
Even more important:
You’ll need to stock up ahead of time!
If you leave it to the last minute you’ll end up staring at lots of empty shelves at the market. So, make a list of what you and your family could need for at least three days (but we’d recommend stocking for about seven days).
Remember to stash for your pets, get some medicines, and personal hygiene items.
Entertainment
This is especially useful in case there’s a power outage during the storm. It’s important to keep your mind busy and a positive mental attitude, so preparing a couple of card or board games can be quite helpful in these situations. Even some simple word games or singing will be great!
Batteries & Equipments
Emergency equipment includes flashlights and plenty of batteries. AM/FM radios and weather monitors will help you keep track of the situation. Additionally, you might want to invest in a camping stove (if you have an electric stove) and a cooler.
Bonus: if you have a fireplace, stock up on firewood and it’s also good to have some sleeping bags and wool blankets stored.
Care for Pets
If your pet already lives indoors, that’s great! However, if it’s used to staying outside, you’ll need to prepare so he/she can spend some time inside the house too.
First of all, bring them inside!
When you’re out getting your stock of food, make sure to get pet food and supplies for cleaning up. Remember to create an entertainment space for them as well.
Shovel Smart
The best tip we can give you for shoveling snow is:
Go slow and steady!
Don’t be ashamed of taking breaks or asking for your neighbors’ help, shoveling snow is a hard task and it can demand a lot from you.
A few more tips we can give you are:
- Don’t shovel after meals
- Don’t smoke before or during shoveling
- Push snow straight ahead and then to the side
- Don’t toss snow over your shoulder
Prepare Your Home
We’ve already talked about how to prepare your home for a blizzard, but here are some things to keep in mind:
- Check your home heating system and stock up on firewood
- Check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
- Get your home properly insulated (if you haven’t done it already)
- Consider getting a flood insurance (if your area has a lot of floods)
- Insulate your water pipes
Ready to face the next winter storm? GET A FREE QUOTE to protect your home!
